Irish-Israeli citizen Kim Damti missing since Hamas attack confirmed to be among the dead

Kim Damti, the young Irish-Israeli woman who went missing after Hamas attacked the Supernova musical festival on Saturday, has been confirmed dead.

The 22-year-old, whose mother is from Portlaoise, had been unaccounted for, having attended the outdoor Supernova music festival in Southern Israel. 

Hundreds of bodies have been recovered from the festival site, which was being held in the desert of Southern Israel to coincide with the Jewish festival of Sukkot.

Her mother Jennifer last spoke to her daughter in a phone call on Saturday morning as people fled from the festival. Her daughter asked, “Mummy, what should I do?” as she tried to flee to a place of shelter.

“They just shot everywhere. They slaughtered them like ducks. This behaviour is barbaric. I didn’t bring my children up to hate anybody. I’m asking the world to condemn this,” her mother said in an emotional news interview with ABC.

Laois Today reported that Jennifer has been in Israel for around 40 years and has five children with her husband Gideon who she met while working in Israel.

The Damti family own a falafel shop, where Kim was planning to work while she planned her future. The local paper also said that Kim was a regular visitor to Ireland, and had been in Jennifer’s native Coolrain for a couple of weeks over the summer.

One of Ms Damti’s Irish cousins had expressed his shock at the news over the weekend.

“Kim is a lovely girl. They are all cracking kids. They were here this summer and we all had a barbecue. She was saying we would have to go over to them again,” he said. 

Kim’s aunt Dinah Kingsley had also expressed hope that there would be good news.

“Kim is the most gentle kind human being. She is compassionate and caring. The family have been over and back regularly over the years. They were here for a family wedding this summer,” she said earlier this week.

The Damti family tonight paid tribute to Kim, who they described as “our angel.”

“Our angel, our flower. Kim my blood. Who was murdered by the cursed terrorists,” her sister Laura wrote in a social media post, as she spoke of the “great sorrow” being felt by the family.

Ms Damti’s aunt Pat Cooper said in a statement tonight: “With heartfelt sorrow the Cooper family announce the death of their beloved niece, Kim Damti.

“We thank all those who have supported us with love and encouragement over the past five days.

“We respectfully request the media to allow us to grieve in the privacy of our family.”

Foreign Minister Micheál Martin, tonight said that the news of the young woman’s death was “devastating” and that such circumstances were “indescribable.” 

“When news reached us over the weekend that an Irish citizen was one of the many hundreds missing after the repugnant terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel, we hoped against hope that she would be found safely,” Mr Martin said.

“The news that this hope has now been extinguished is devastating.

“Anyone looking at the photo of Kim in the media over the last few days will have been struck by the radiance and energy in her expression; a young 22-year-old woman with a whole life ahead of her, full of promise.

“For anyone to lose a child is devastating. To lose a child in such circumstances is indescribable,” he said.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tonight said that Ireland was united in mourning for Ms Damti.

“As a nation we are united in mourning for Kim Damti. This vibrant young Irish-Israeli woman was struck down in her prime with her adult life ahead of her. 

“Her death and the deaths of more than a thousand citizens of Isarael from around the world, was senseless and barbaric.”