What it’s about

Unknown extremists have defaced a commemorative mural in Ashdod honoring Shani Amin and her partner Adam Ilayev, who were tragically murdered on October 7 at the Nova Music Festival.

Why it matters

The defacement is a disturbing act of disrespect towards the victims and their families. It’s not just an attack on a mural, but on the collective memory of those who suffered in the devastating events of October 7.

Details

The mural, painted by artist Itay Nevet on a bomb shelter in HaHistadrut Street, depicted Shani and Adam as part of the ongoing commemoration of the massacre victims. Shani’s grandfather, Ami Halfon, expressed his outrage: “Those who defaced my granddaughter’s face are despicable. Don’t the dead get to rest?”

Background

This incident is not isolated. Ashdod has seen previous acts where images of women in public spaces were defaced, likely by religious zealots who object to the depiction of women even in commemorative forms.

Community Response

Ashdod Mayor Yechiel Lasri condemned the vandalism, calling it a “shocking and grave offense.” He has ordered an urgent investigation and pledged full cooperation from the municipality to capture those responsible using the city’s surveillance system. “This defacement is a dangerous and ugly phenomenon,” the mayor said, adding apologies to the Amin family on behalf of the city residents.

Family Outrage

Shani’s grandfather called upon the extremists to reflect on their actions and condemned the mentality behind the defacement. “It’s unbelievable. What have we come to?” he lamented.

This story was first published on ynetnews.com.