BarcelonaIsrael continues to stir debate in the Eurovision arena. This year, the nation has chosen Yuval raphael, a 24-year-old survivor of the October 7 Hamas attacks at the Supernova Music Festival, as its representative for the event in Basel. Raphael emerged victorious in the talent competition hosted by Israeli public broadcaster KAN,which determines the country’s Eurovision entrant.
Raphael, who secured both jury and audience votes, has openly shared his harrowing experience of survival. During the Eurovision selection process, he recounted how he hid beneath a mound of bodies in a shelter to escape the violence. “Music became my healing force after October 7,” he revealed.
“My mission at Eurovision is to share my nation’s story—what I endured and what others faced,” Raphael stated. “This isn’t about seeking sympathy. It’s about standing strong in the face of adversity and criticism, which I’m certain will come.”
The song Raphael will perform remains undisclosed, as Israeli public television plans to announce it in March. Regardless of the choice, the track must first gain approval from the European Broadcasting Union.
Israel’s Eurovision journey has long been fraught with controversy, but tensions escalated last year amid the Gaza conflict.The event’s organizers initially rejected Israel’s first song submission, October rain, citing references to the Hamas attacks. The second entry, Hurricane, was accepted, and despite backlash, Israel’s representative Eden Golan secured fifth place.
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