Two weeks after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,400 people and taking hundreds of hostages, many Israelis are turning to tattoos to cope with the trauma and commemorate the victims.
The date Oct. 7, 2023, is now etched in Israeli history as the day when thousands of Hamas gunmen breached the border fence and rampaged through southern communities, in the country’s deadliest attack since its founding in 1948.
Some Israelis are getting the date tattooed on their bodies, along with images that remind them of their home, their family, or the people kidnapped by Hamas. Others are choosing symbols of strength, resilience, and hope, such as stars, flowers, or flags.
“Many folks told me it lifted a heavy weight off their hearts. It brought out feelings I haven’t felt before. It gave me a lot of strength, a lot of hope,” he said.
Benezri-Levy said he has been busy since the attacks, as clients have found solace in the experience of getting inked.
“Many of them write the date, October 7. We all understand what that means,” he said.
University student Gal Nishman got a tattoo on his back in black and blue ink combining a Star of David with the numerals 7/10.
“The truth is I don’t know anyone who was murdered, fortunately … but the tattoo for me is a symbol,” he said. “On one side (the tattoo) is dark, representing those who were captured. On the other, there is blue, the Star of David, Israel, (showing) that we’re here to win.”
Another tattoo artist, Sheli Eliel, has also been busy since the attacks in her studio in Magan Michael, some 400 km (250 miles) north of Eilat, on the Mediterranean coast.
“It’s therapeutic,” she said. “I never asked questions before, but during the tattooing, the stories come out, they share them and cry. It is quite amazing,” she said.
Among those seeking to commemorate recent events was Hadas Karmazin, a resident from the south, close to the border of the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas. She has been evacuated from her home as Israeli forces gather ahead of a possible invasion.
She had three stars inked close to her heart to represent her three sons, two of whom are in combat units while the third is set to enlist this month. She also had a large lotus flower tattooed on her forearm, saying it represented Israeli residents of the south.
“It grows with glory and flourishes even in murky water, especially in murky water,” she said. “Despite everything I will return home.”