‘Pillar of Nova survivors community’ Roei Shalev dies by suicide

Hours before his body was recovered near Tel Aviv, Shalev wrote on social media: "I just want this suffering to end. I'm alive, but inside everything is dead". 

The post prompted worried friends and relatives to search for him, and his body was found by emergency services near the city of Netanya. Israeli police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

The Nova Tribe Community Association, which supports bereaved families and survivors, described him as “one of the pillars in our community”, saying “his passing is an incomprehensible loss”.

It said in a statement: “We share our deepest condolences to his family, his friends and all members of the community who are grieving this immense loss.

“During these hard times, we choose to remember Roei in his most beautiful moments –for his courageous support of the community, his leadership as captain of the Nova Tribe basketball team, and his unwavering dedication to helping his fellow tribe members through their most difficult and challenging times,” the group continued.

Many people traumatised by the horrors of October 7 continue to suffer severe emotional distress, the Nova Tribe Community Association noted, and the group urged the public to remain vigilant and sensitive to the mental health of survivors and bereaved families.

Israel’s Health Ministry said on Saturday that it “shares in the sorrow of the family and community of Roei Shalev, who took his own life last night.

“These days, as we mark two years since the October 7 massacre and prepare for the return of the living hostages to their homes and the burial of the fallen, it is important to remember that the intense emotions we are all experiencing can trigger complex feelings,” the statement continued.

The ministry said the period may be especially difficult for those directly affected by the October 7 attacks and their families, with many experiencing renewed pain and emotional distress. It urged the public to show heightened sensitivity and awareness toward others, remain alert for signs of mental distress and offer support to those in need.

Hamas terrorists murdered more than 340 civilians at the site of the music festival, while more than 40 others were taken back to Gaza as hostages.

In total, Hamas-led terrorists murdered approximately 1,200 people, wounded thousands and took 251 hostages that day.

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