Roei Shalev, a 28-year-old Israeli man who survived the horrific Nova music festival massacre on October 7, 2023, took his own life recently, just days after the second anniversary of the tragic event. Shalev’s lifeless body was discovered in a burning vehicle near an exit on a highway close to Netanya last Friday evening.
Security camera footage from a nearby gas station showed Shalev filling a fuel canister shortly before his body was discovered. Shalev had been in a relationship with Mapal Adam, who tragically lost her life during the terrorist attack at the Nova music festival.
Before his tragic end, Shalev posted a heart-wrenching farewell message on his Instagram account. He expressed the unbearable pain and loss he had been enduring since the massacre that claimed his girlfriend’s life. In his message, he apologized and described his internal suffering as a burning sensation that he could no longer contain.
On the fateful day of October 7, 2023, Shalev and his girlfriend, 25-year-old Mapal Adam, were attending the Nova festival near Re’im when the Hamas attack occurred. The couple sought refuge under a truck, pretending to be dead for hours amidst the bloody chaos. However, a terrorist discovered their hiding place and fatally shot Adam at close range.
Shalev was also shot twice while trying to shield his girlfriend but managed to survive. In a 2024 interview on Youtube, Shalev recounted the horrifying experience. He shared that they had whispered “I love you” to each other and closed their eyes to feign death just moments before a Hamas militant approached and shot them.
Adding to the tragedy, Shalev’s mother also committed suicide just days after the massacre, setting her car on fire, as reported by Israeli public broadcaster KAN.
The Nova Tribe Community organization, which represents survivors and families of the victims of the music festival massacre, expressed their sorrow over Shalev’s passing. The group described Shalev as the backbone of the community and stated that his death was a devastating blow to them.