- On October 7, Noya Dan and her grandmother Carmela, who is 80 years old, disappeared.
- On Wednesday, the family of the deceased confirmed that their bodies had been positively identified.
The Israeli country has announced the unfortunate news of the death of a Harry Potter fan, whose situation was brought to attention by author JK Rowling.
Noya Dan, a 12-year-old child with autism, and her grandmother Carmela, who is 80 years old, were reported missing after the attack by Hamas terrorists on October 7th.
Since that time, the family has held onto the belief that their loved ones were taken as hostages instead of being killed. They remain hopeful that Israeli forces, who are getting ready to initiate a ground assault on Hamas and free the captives, will locate and bring them back.
On Wednesday, the Dan family sadly announced on Facebook that the bodies of Noya and Carmela had been identified. The Israeli minister of foreign affairs later confirmed their deaths.
It is known that three additional members of the Dan family are still unaccounted for.
The Israeli government has announced that a 12-year-old autistic child named Noya Dan, who was a fan of Harry Potter and had caught the attention of author JK Rowling, has been found dead. Noya and her 80-year-old grandmother Carmela were reported missing on October 7.
JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, expressed her condemnation of the Hamas attacks and the abduction of children following the news of Noya’s disappearance.
On Tuesday, the author posted a photo of Noya dressed as a character from Harry Potter on X, previously known as Twitter. The caption expressed strong disapproval of kidnapping children, stating that it is completely unjustifiable. The author mentioned that the picture had a personal impact on them for obvious reasons. They also expressed hope for the safe and prompt return of Noya and all individuals who have been taken hostage by Hamas to their families.
In the picture shared by Rowling, Noya is seen smiling while dressed in attire that resembles the uniform of Hogwarts school from her books. He is also wearing the recognizable red and yellow Gryffindor tie, representing one of the school’s houses.
She appeared to be dressed as one of the main characters – Hermione Granger – and was also holding a Hebrew copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (the fifth book in the series) as well as a wand.
Israel had previously posted Noya’s picture on X on Sunday, saying: ‘This beautiful 12 year old girl with autism was kidnapped from her home by Hamas terrorists and was taken to Gaza. Noya is sensitive, kind, funny and a massive Harry Potter fan.’
The State of Israel’s official X account also urged JK Rowling to share Noya’s story in the hopes of ‘bringing her home’.
Rowling’s message resonated with numerous individuals, particularly those who are fans of Harry Potter, and further emphasized the harsh truth of the violent terrorist assault carried out by Hamas. This attack resulted in the death of approximately 1,400 individuals in Israel, with a significant number of victims still awaiting identification.
According to Israeli authorities, the terrorists also seized a minimum of 203 individuals, including children, and transported them to the Gaza Strip where they were held captive as hostages.
The violent attack on kibbutzim and other communities in southern Israel provoked a retaliatory action from the nation’s military. They have continuously carried out airstrikes on the Gaza enclave, resulting in numerous Palestinian casualties.
On Wednesday, the Dan family confirmed in a tragic post on Facebook that the bodies of both Noya and Carmela (left and right) had been identified. Their deaths were later confirmed by the Israeli minister of foreign affairs
On Tuesday, JK Rowling expressed her hope for the safe and prompt return of Noya and all the hostages who were captured by Hamas. She shared this message upon discovering that Noya was one of the individuals who went missing following the attack.
Thirteen days ago, Noya and her grandmother were captured in Kibbutz Nir Oz, which is among the Israeli communities near Gaza that were targeted by Hamas.
Israeli news sources reported that the bodies were discovered charred in close proximity to the border fence separating Israel and Gaza. The location of the bodies has not been officially confirmed by Israel.
The devastating news was initially verified on Facebook by individuals who are familiar with the family.
Sharon Calderon expressed that today was a challenging day filled with various reasons, emotions, tears, and conversations. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, they received distressing news that they had hoped not to hear – Carmela Dan and Noya Dan are no longer alive.
“I hope they will be remembered for their love. We are still striving to bring Ofer and Sahar Varez back home,” she mentioned, alluding to the individuals who are currently missing.
Noam Dan, Carmela’s niece, wrote on her Facebook page: ‘It just dawned on us that our beloved family members Noya and Carmela are no longer alive.
“We are experiencing immense suffering… there are three additional individuals in the family (and in the country – a significant number…) that we must rescue, so we will persist tomorrow. We appreciate the support. Our hearts are filled with both anguish and gratitude.”
Israel shared a message on X expressing their deep sorrow and informing that the bodies of Noya and her grandmother Carmela were found the previous day. Israel expressed gratitude to everyone who shared their story, as it played a crucial role in bringing them back home. They also mentioned that their hearts are shattered.
Last week, Noya’s mother had shared the heartbreaking last conversation she had with her 12-year-old daughter before the kidnapping.
Ms Dan was located five miles away, taking refuge in a panic room, when she received a voice message from Noya expressing her fear and seeking assistance: “Mother, I am feeling frightened as there are individuals present in our house. Please come to my aid.”
Noya sought refuge in the shadows of her grandmother Carmela’s house, communicating silently through text messages while explosions raged nearby their kibbutz.
After Noya sent a frantic message, they vanished.
Noya’s mother managed to wait in safety with her husband – Noya’s stepfather – and her other daughter Tomal, 9, at their home in the settlement of Kibbutz Kissufim.
Galit Dan (right) said her daughter (left) was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nir Oz kibbutz on October 7 when it was attacked by Hamas terrorists
The family was relocated to a hotel at the Dead Sea after 22 hours.
Ms Dan told The Sun last week: ‘The pain is indescribable. My little girl went for a sleepover with her granny and was messaging us as these animals came for them.
‘Our best hope now is that they have been kidnapped and will somehow survive. I am living every parent’s nightmare — every parent in the world will feel our pain.’
Ms. Dan shared with The Sun that her daughter has autism and is highly sensitive. She lovingly described her daughter as a charming, humorous, and intelligent young girl. Ms. Dan also mentioned that her grandmother, Carmela, is in a fragile state herself. Expressing her concern, she questioned the intentions of Hamas, wondering what they aim to accomplish by harming innocent and defenseless individuals.
News of the tragic deaths of Noya and her grandmother came as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrived in Israel to ‘express solidarity’ with the country.
He will also urge for the prevention of any increase in violence in the broader area.
Sunak arrived at Ben Gurion airport on Thursday morning in preparation for discussions with Benjamin Netanyahu, his counterpart, and President Isaac Herzog.
“I am primarily here to convey my support and unity with the Israeli population. The act of terrorism that you have endured is indescribable and horrifying, and I want to assure you that both the United Kingdom and I are standing by your side,” Mr. Sunak informed journalists present at the scene.
Noya and her grandmother were captured in the Nir Oz kibbutz in southern Israel
During his journey, he plans to implore leaders in the Middle East to refrain from escalating the situation, emphasizing the significant loss of lives that has already occurred in the conflict.
After arriving in Israel on Wednesday, the US president’s visit aims to diplomatically intervene and prevent the escalation of fighting into a more significant crisis.
Joe Biden advised Israel to refrain from being overwhelmed by anger after the devastating attack by Hamas on October 7. He also urged them to learn from the United States’ past errors in handling the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which claimed the lives of approximately 3,000 individuals.
The president’s trip appeared to mark a breakthrough, with Mr Netanyahu’s office announcing it had approved a request from Mr Biden to allow Egypt to deliver limited quantities of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.