Nova festival survivor dies two years after girlfriend shot dead as he shielded her

Warning: This article contains details that some people may find disturbing

Life was good for Roei Shalev.

The 29-year-old had just moved in with the "love of his life" a few days before and had been celebrating with her at the Supernova music festival, a rave in Israel's Negev desert.

But his joy turned to terror when Hamas gunmen stormed the event near Re'im in the early hours of 7 October 2023.

Roei and his girlfriend Mapal Adam were dancing with their friend Hilly Solomon when rocket fire suddenly drowned out the music.

Roei, Mapal and Hilly frantically tried to escape by car, driving away from the festival grounds until they encountered a young woman stumbling into the road, covered in blood.

She warned them that there were Hamas attackers behind her, so the trio exited their vehicle and ran to nearby trees to hide.

"Bullets whizzed past us, grenades exploded nearby, and terror engulfed us from all directions," Roei said, recalling the event when writing about it later.

They dived under two abandoned cars - Roei and Mapal under one, Hilly under the other.

Mapal frantically messaged her sister Maayan, an Israeli TV presenter, who desperately tried to reassure her - and told her help was on the way.

But the gunmen caught up with them, shooting the three festivalgoers as they were pinned under the cars.

Roei tried to shield 26-year-old Mapal from the bullets, but she died beneath him while he was shot in the back. Hilly, 26, was also killed instantly.

What followed were "agonising" hours during which Roei lay still, covered in his and his girlfriend's blood, and played dead.

Even when a second group of gunmen approached and shot at him a second time, hitting him in the back yet again, he did not move.

Seven hours later, the Israeli army found Roei alive.

Mapal's family later said it brought them comfort to know she "had died in his arms".

The terror continued

A week after his girlfriend and best friend were killed, Roei said his mother Raffaela took her own life because she "couldn't contain the pain and losses of October 7", the day on which attacks by Hamas on Israel resulted in a total of over 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage.

"In just one week, I lost three of the most important women to me in the world," Roei said.

"In the months that followed, I struggled to cope. Flashbacks and anxiety consumed me, and sleep became a distant memory."

Roei said therapy and the unwavering support of others gave him the strength to share his story publicly.

"I opened up on social media, laying bare the rawest details of my trauma. The response was overwhelming," Roei wrote on a fundraising page for Nova festival survivors and their families last year.

"Messages poured in from people who found solace and inspiration in my journey. Their words gave me purpose, a reason to keep fighting."

He said he was "uncertain of what the future holds", but knew that he had to "honour the memory of the three extraordinary girls who were taken from us too soon".

In the two years that followed these tragic events, Roei renamed the family bakery he had been running with his girlfriend to "Mapal Cafe", in tribute to his "one and only love" and organised events to commemorate Mapal and Hilly.

"Amidst the pain and sorrow, I hold onto one truth: we will dance again," he said in his fundraising post a year ago.

On the second anniversary of his girlfriend's death, Roei wrote on Instagram: "Two years have passed since the most terrible day of my life... and of a whole country.

"The longing for you is only getting bigger, the pain does not pass with time. It is always there, everywhere, all the time. I'm full of pain this year, even more than last year."

In the post, Roei thanked his girlfriend for "moments I won't forget, pure love and the best relationship I could ask for".

He also addressed both her and Hilly, saying: "A huge apology that I couldn't keep you safe on this terrible day, you know I did everything, I did everything to keep you safe, my beloved.

"I preferred to die in agony and for you to survive it."

On Friday night, three days after that anniversary, Roei posted a note on his Instagram account, saying he "can't go on anymore".

"I've never felt such deep and burning pain and suffering in my life. It's eating me up inside," Roei wrote.

His note raised concern among his family and friends, and a frantic search was launched.

The search ended a few hours later in the tragic discovery of Roei's body inside a burning car near Poleg Beach in Netanya, Israel.

Read more:
Shoes and fairy lights: Remnants of Nova festival attack
All the hostages believed to be alive and due for release

Upon hearing news of his death, Mapal's sister wrote in a post shared on Instagram: "I have no words, and it will take time to find them. I hope these two children are embraced and smiling now, hearts pressed together again."

Roei's family confirmed his death in a statement and asked for their privacy to be respected.

Police have opened an investigation, according to Israeli media.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK.

Alternatively, you can call Mind's support line on 0300 102 1234, or NHS on 111.

(c) Sky News 2025: Nova festival survivor dies two years after girlfriend shot dead as he shielded her