'Uncontrollable Fear': Romi Gonen Shares 'Extreme' Panic Attack Triggered by Sirens

Romi Gonen, who was released from Hamas captivity after being kidnapped from the Nova Festival on October 7, shared a deeply personal and vulnerable post on Instagram today. She described a "severe panic attack" triggered by the recent wave of rocket sirens, moments that she says instantly brought back the trauma of her time in Gaza.

Gonen revealed that the sirens caught her twice while she was driving, leaving her alone and exposed. The experience triggered an emotional physical response she hasn't felt since her return to Israel.

"The siren caught me twice on the road, and it immediately threw me back to that feeling of helplessness and uncontrollable fear," Gonen wrote. She described the episode as "the most extreme panic attack I’ve had since I came back."

Despite the intensity of the moment, Gonen took the time to thank the strangers who noticed her struggling and stepped in to help.

"Thank God there are good people who immediately jumped in to help me, thanks to them, I got through it," she shared. "It moves me to think that there are people like you out there."

She ended her post with a message to the Israeli public, reminding them that many survivors and traumatized citizens are walking the streets and may need a helping hand during these tense times: "There are more people like me out there who might need help. Please, help them. Step up."

Gonen’s story serves as a stark reminder of the long road to recovery for those who survived the October 7 massacre and months in captivity. Even as the country attempts to maintain a routine under fire, the "hidden wounds" of survivors remain close to the surface, triggered by the very sounds meant to keep the public safe.