Family of Eden Yerushalmi Recounts Life of 'Happiest Girl' Kidnapped and Killed by Hamas

Three years after the October 7 massacre, loved ones of Eden Yerushalmi are sharing memories of the vibrant young woman who was abducted from the Nova music festival. Yerushalmi was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and later murdered in captivity in Gaza in 2024. Friends and family, recalling pre-October 7 footage, describe her as full of life, surrounded by friends, and deeply devoted to her family. One relative stated, "Really, I was the luckiest girl in the world," reflecting on their relationship with Yerushalmi. The article also touches upon the agonizing hours following the Nova festival attack, detailing the uncertainty, calls, and desperate search for information as the full scope of the massacre and kidnappings became apparent. Survivors of the festival shared their experiences of that day, which irrevocably altered their lives. Arbel Ashkenazy, Yerushalmi's best friend and a Nova survivor, is featured alongside other loved ones in the documentary "Find Me, Okay?" which focuses on Yerushalmi's life. Initially conceived with the hope of her return, the film's producers, including Yaniv Hoffman, considered it finished upon learning of her death. However, Yerushalmi's killing in captivity gave the project a new purpose: to tell her story and preserve her memory beyond her abduction and murder. Her loved ones are now working to keep Yerushalmi's spirit alive through her images, words, and shared moments, emphasizing that behind the widely known hostage narrative was a young woman whose life was brutally cut short.