ISRAEL: Lotan Abir, a 24-year-old, was one of the over 260 music festival attendees who experienced the violence unleashed by the Palestinian militant group on Saturday, October 7.
After his recent move to Utah, he was relishing the company of friends from the nearby Jewish community when the Palestinian militant group unexpectedly descended on a desert rave in Israel via paragliders.
Rabbi Avremi Zippel remembered Abir as the kind of person "that you would want to call your friend.”
Lotan Abir remembered as 'kind and innocent soul'
Abir moved to Utah in late 2022 following the completion of his military service in Israel. During this summer, he returned to Israel to participate in various events, as Zippel had shared.
Amid the chaos and gunfire, two of his friends managed to escape, but Abir went missing, and it wasn't until the following Sunday that officials confirmed his demise.
“He ultimately gave up his life for the sake of our people at a rave while celebrating some of his greatest passions in life. … Just a kind, sweet, fun-loving, innocent soul who was massacred by a terrorist.”
Israeli Defense Forces impose blockade on Gaza
The attack by the Palestinian militant group resulted in the loss of at least 14 American lives and led to the deaths of over 1,000 Israelis, as well as the abduction of numerous individuals.
In response to the promise of "mighty vengeance" from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel initiated retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip.
The leader of the Israeli Defense Forces has issued a warning about the possibility of imposing a blockade on Gaza.
"I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” said Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. "We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly."
Lotah Abir's friends mourn his loss
Elad Ogorek, a friend of Abir who also resides in Utah said, "We knew it was going to be bad news; we didn’t know what type of bad news it was gonna be. We actually said ourselves, and asked each other, ‘What’s better — to get kidnapped to Gaza or just die?’” Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Ogorek recalled his pal's kind heart and willingness to help others. “He died doing a thing we all like to do: to dance and enjoy our freedom,” he said.
