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Oct. 7 attack survivor dies by suicide at partner's grave
🇬🇷 Greece /Culture & Society

Oct. 7 attack survivor dies by suicide at partner's grave

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A survivor of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack died by suicide at the grave of his partner, who was killed during the Nova music festival massacre.
  • The 30-year-old was found by his sister at the grave of his 26-year-old partner, whom he frequently visited after her death.
  • His partner had refused to leave the festival during the attack, choosing to stay and help the wounded.

A survivor of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack has died by suicide at the grave of his partner, who was killed during the massacre at the Nova music festival. The 30-year-old, Bar Ashraf, was found by his sister on Saturday evening at the grave of his 26-year-old partner, Liron Barda, in the West Bank.

My sister had a premonition and told me to go first. I saw him lying next to Liron's grave. I spoke to him, but then I realized he was covered in blood. There was a weapon next to him. I screamed. I couldn't react. I knew it was the end. His body was cold. Rescuers did everything they could, but they couldn't save him. He died in the place he wanted to be most, next to the woman he loved.

— Ashraf's sisterDescribing the moment she found her brother at his partner's grave.

His sister told the Israeli website Walla that his whereabouts became unknown after a wedding ceremony they attended together. "An hour passed, then two, and then my older sister said: 'Let's go look for him.' We first searched the places he used to go and then decided to check Liron's grave. He liked to go there, talk to her and feel close to her," she recounted.

Describing the moment of discovery, she said: "My sister had a premonition and told me to go first. I saw him lying next to Liron's grave. I spoke to him, but then I realized he was covered in blood. There was a weapon next to him. I screamed. I couldn't react. I knew it was the end. His body was cold. Rescuers did everything they could, but they couldn't save him. He died in the place he wanted to be most, next to the woman he loved."

There were wounded people, and I will stay to help them.

— Liron BardaHer reason for not leaving the Nova festival during the Hamas attack, as told by her father.

According to people who knew the couple, Ashraf remained very close to Liron's family after her death and often visited her parents. Liron Barda, a bartender at the Nova festival, had reportedly refused to leave the site during the Hamas attack, choosing instead to help the wounded. Her father told the newspaper Israel Hayom that she had refused his request to leave, stating, "There were wounded people, and I will stay to help them." He added, "That was Liron. I would have been surprised if she had abandoned people to save only herself."

That was Liron. I would have been surprised if she had abandoned people to save only herself.

— Liron Barda's fatherDescribing his daughter's character and actions during the festival attack.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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