The number of suicides among people tied to the Nova music festival carnage continues to grow
An Israeli man who survived the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel hast taken his own life, three days after the second anniversary of the assault. The body of Roei Shalev was found in a burning car on a highway exit outside the city of Netanya on Friday, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Shalev had attended the Nova Music Festival, an all-night event held near the Gaza border on October 7, 2023 which was targeted by Hamas militants in their attack. He was shot in the back but survived by playing dead for several hours.
His girlfriend, Mapal Adam, and his close friend, Hili Solomon, were among those killed. Two weeks after the tragedy, Shalev’s mother took her life.
Hours before his body was recovered, Shalev posted a goodbye message on his Instagram page: “I just want this suffering to end. I’m alive, but inside everything is dead.” He also asked for forgiveness.
Israeli police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
On Thursday, 56-year-old Yelena Giler, the mother of Slava Giler, who was murdered by Hamas militants at the festival, also killed herself, according to Israeli media reports. Other survivors have succumbed to depression, including Nova attendee Shirel Golan, who committed suicide a year after the attack, reportedly on her 22nd birthday.
About 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas attack, including more than 370 at the Nova music festival; 251 were taken hostage.
Israel responded by launching a military offensive that has cost more than 67,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and triggered a deep humanitarian crisis in the enclave, prompting the UN to accuse West Jerusalem of genocide.
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