An Israeli father is feared dead after he attempted to rescue his daughter from Hamas terrorists Saturday, the New York Post reports.
Mark Peretz allegedly attempted to retrieve his 20-year-old daughter, Maya, from the Tribe of Nova music festival near the Gaza Strip, which was attacked by violent Islamic extremists, according to the New York Post.
Israeli dad missing after he rushed to save daughter from music festival near Gaza Strip https://t.co/MnJQcIFqlW pic.twitter.com/W2fPxxQirK
— New York Post (@nypost) October 8, 2023
The 51-year-old man has been missing since he left his Rishon LeZion home, his family told the Post.
“[He] dropped everything and drove there,” Jessica Cohen, Peretz’s 24-year-old daughter-in-law, told the outlet. “Even given the situation, given the fact that there were rockets being thrown over our heads. Given the fact that he saw Hamas terrorists riding into Israel, taking parachutes into Israel… he went to go rescue Maya.”
Maya and 12 others got into a vehicle traveling north, but were then forced to leave it behind when “non-stop” gunfire erupted, the Post reported. The group hid in a police station for three hours after they were targeted by the terrorists, Cohen said. (RELATED: ‘With Overwhelming Force’: 2024 Presidential Candidates Respond To Attack On Israel)
Peretz was reportedly within 20 minutes of his daughter at the police station where she was sheltering during the rescue attempt. He called his family at that point but was abruptly cut off, according to the outlet.
“We were on the phone with him and we heard gunshots, and don’t know exactly sure what happened,” Cohen told the Post.
Peretz, who had been sharing his location with his family through his cellphone, was not found when his son’s ex-military friends visited his last reported location. His car was seen without anyone inside, according to the outlet.
No resources have yet been designated for Peretz’s search as authorities are overwhelmed combatting Hamas invaders, Cohen told the Post. Maya was driven home by one of her friend’s fathers as her own father remains missing.
“They’re terrorizing innocent people, they’re taking innocent young women into hostage, and God knows what they’re doing to them. It’s terrifying, and we need support from everyone,” Cohen told the outlet.