Remembering Oct. 7 massacre in Israel: Nova Music Festival exhibition comes to Miami

The Nova Music Festival Exhibition is coming to Miami beginning Dec. 18, following runs in New York City, Los Angeles, and Tel Aviv.

The exhibit marks the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel, where heavily armed Hamas militants rampaged through the festival, killing at least 364 people and taking more than 40 hostage. Many of them are still held in Gaza.

Hamas' surprise cross-border attack last year killed about 1,200 people. Another 250 were taken hostage; around 100 remain in captivity , with many of them feared dead. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

The ensuing Israel-Hamas war has spilled into the wider region, affecting Lebanon, Syria and leading to strikes between Israel and Iran . The war has left much of Gaza in ruins and has killed over 43,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The Oct. 7 attack, which took place on a major Jewish holiday, shattered Israelis' sense of security.

The exhibition features remnants from the festival grounds and testimonies from festival survivors.

"The story of the Nova Music Festival is one of strength, resilience and community," said Omri Sassi, founder and producer of the Nova Music Festival, in a statement announcing the exhibition.

"When we first gathered in Tel Aviv, our message was to honor and remember the victims of the October 7th terrorist attack on our country, our family and our friends," said Sassi. "It's been an honor to share this story internationally first in New York, Los Angeles and now Miami, and remind the world that we will dance again."

Donations from the exhibition will go to the Nova Healing Journey , an initiative that supports mental health treatment for victims and families of the Oct. 7 massacre. Donations can be made here .