Yarin Levin is a 24-year-old former Israel Defense Forces combat officer living in Israel who, on Oct. 7, witnessed the most deadly day for Jewish people since the Holocaust. 

Levin attended the Re’im music festival, where Hamas terrorists killed 364 people and took others hostage. He discussed that experience with a group of Tulane University students on Nov. 30 at an event hosted by Tulane Hillel. 

Levin said he had gone through a breakup before the festival. But the night of the festival, when Levin was waiting outside the venue with his friends, he said a unique “magical” feeling washed over him and he felt a profound sense of community.

The next morning, Levin said he felt “complete” with his friends while walking out of the festival getting ready for the next DJ to perform.

Less than an hour later, missiles from the Gaza Strip shot towards Israel. 

Levin said he and his friends were not overly concerned, because missiles and rockets are often launched towards Israel. “It’s just missiles,” Levin said. More than 1,600 missiles were fired at Israel in 2023 before the attack on Oct. 7.

Later that morning, at 6:40 a.m, Levin said two people approached him and said they were afraid. They were looking for transportation to leave the festival, and Levin could sense something was wrong. 

In 2021, the most recent large-scale conflict between Israel and Hamas, Hamas launched about 460 rockets and missiles at Israel per day. In the first four hours of the Oct. 7 attacks, there were 3,000 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip to Israel. Levin said that you could tell the Iron Dome — Israel’s missile defense system — “was working overtime.”

By 7 a.m., groups of people started leaving the festival, where traffic jams were building on its north and south sides. When Levin stopped to ask a police officer what was causing the traffic, he said he heard gunfire and shouting. 

While stopped on a dirt road, Levin said he saw a man who kept repeating, “We’re getting slaughtered.” Levin realized that there were terrorists near the area and gunfire began to ring out. 

As he fled, Levin said he saw someone with a deep gunshot wound in their leg. He tried to stop and help the man, but feared for his own life. At another point, Levin said he saw someone laying on the ground and tried to help her, but she had already been killed.

Levin said he saw people mutilated beyond recognition, bodies on fire and naked women. Members of Hamas raped and tortured many people during their Oct. 7 attack. Levin led a group away from the horrors before they separated to hide. 

After 15 miles of walking, Levin said he ended up back home at 4 p.m. that day. He hugged his family, cried, showered and slept. 

Three hours later, he re-enlisted in the IDF reserves.