Survivor of 2023 Hamas Attack Dies by Suicide, Reigniting Trauma Conversations

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Roei Shalev, a 28-year-old Israeli who survived the devastating 2023 Hamas attack, has died by suicide. Shalev's tragic end has reignited crucial conversations around the lingering trauma faced by survivors of that dark day.

According to reports, Shalev's body was discovered in a burning car near Netanya on October 10, 2025. CCTV footage captured him at a gas station shortly before the incident, filling a canister with fuel. Shalev was among the many who witnessed the unspeakable horror during the 2023 Hamas assault on the Nova music festival near Re'im, where his girlfriend, Mapal Adam, 25, was executed by terrorists.

In a final, heartbreaking message shared on Instagram, Shalev wrote, "I'm truly sorry. I can't bear this pain any longer. I'm burning inside, and I can't contain it anymore." He continued, "Never in my life have I felt such pain and suffering -- deep, burning, eating me from within. I just want this suffering to end. I'm alive -- but inside, I'm already dead."

The trauma Shalev endured that day never seemed to end. During the attack, he and Mapal reportedly hid under a truck for hours, pretending to be dead. A Hamas gunman later approached and shot them at close range -- Mapal was killed instantly, while Shalev survived with two bullet wounds. Just days after the massacre, Shalev's mother also died by suicide, reportedly setting her car ablaze.

The Nova Tribe Community Foundation, representing survivors and families of victims of the festival massacre, mourned Shalev's loss, describing him as "a backbone of the community" whose death is "inconceivable news" for them.