A 22 year-old woman who is missing in Israel after Hamas militants launched a series of surprise attacks on Saturday, has been a regular visitor to Laois over the years as her mother, Jennifer, is a member of the well-known Cooper family from Coolrain.
Kim Damti was attending the Tribe of Nova trance music festival in the desert near the Gaza-Israel border, one of the first targets in the massacre, when the red alert was announced.
It is understood that she made contact with her family around 6.30am on Saturday morning. They advised her to find shelter but have not heard from her since.
Kim’s mother Jennifer is the second youngest in a family of 11 and attended Wilson’s Hospital School in Westmeath.
“Kim didn’t realise that there was seven or eight Toyota vans full of terrorists,” Jennifer Damti, told ABC News on Sunday.
“They just shot everywhere, slaughtered them like dogs,” she said.
Jennifer Damti said she was sharing her story because she wanted “the world to condemn this behaviour”.
“I didn’t bring my children up to hate anybody.
“You can’t sleep, all I can think about is where she is, if she’s suffering, if she’s still alive, I just want her back,” she added.
Jennifer has been living in Israel for approximately 40 years and has five children with her husband Gideon who she met after going to Israel to work in a kibbutz.
They got married in Israel with many family members travelling out for the wedding. Family members also travelled out for Kim’s brother, Daniel’s wedding, last September.
The family own a falafel shop and Kim was planning to work there while she planned her future.
Jennifer and Kim were in Coolrain for a couple of weeks during the summer.
Glen Cooper, Kim’s first cousin, said he was shocked to hear the news on Saturday evening, having been out coaching the Portlaoise U-16 rugby team and coming home to watch the Ireland v Scotland Rugby World Cup game.
He said: “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.”
Kim’s aunt, Dinah Kingsley, said the family have been texting Jennifer and just hoping for good news.
She said: “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.”
Now all of the family just pray and wish that Kim is found safe and well.
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