A “fun-loving” 24-year-old Utah man has been identified as one of the Americans killed in the terrorist attacks in Israel over the weekend, friends confirmed Tuesday.
Lotan Abir, who was new to the Beehive State, was one of more than 260 music festival revelers who were massacred by Hamas fighters at a rave party on Saturday, Rabbi Avremi Zippel told the Salt Lake Tribune.
Abir was with some friends from Utah’s Jewish community when the horrific attack began.
While two friends managed to escape the gunfire, Abir disappeared, Zippel told the newspaper.
Authorities confirmed his death on Sunday.
“He was the kind of person you would want to call a friend,” Zippel said.
“Ultimately, he gave his life for the good 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.”
He first moved to Utah in late 2022 after completing military service in Israel, but returned to the Jewish state this summer to attend some events, Zippel reportedly said.
Lotan Abir, a “fun-loving” 24-year-old Utah man, has been identified as one of the Americans killed in the terrorist attacks in Israel over the weekend, his friends confirmed Tuesday. Facebook / Avremi Zippel Lotan Abir was one of more than 260 music festival revelers who were massacred by Hamas fighters at a rave party on Saturday.
At least 14 Americans are confirmed to have been killed in the Hamas surprise attack, while more than 1,000 Israelis were killed.
The other two friends at the festival told Abir’s friend Elad Ogorek, who also lives in Utah, that neither of them heard from Abir after they fled.
“We knew it was going to be bad news; We didn’t know what kind of bad news it was going to be,” Ogorek said. “In fact, we said to ourselves and asked ourselves: ‘What is better: being kidnapped in Gaza or just dying?’”
Other American victims identified so far include Hayim Katsman, 32, an Israeli-American citizen from Seattle, and Debbie Mathias, 50, an Israeli-American who was born in Missouri.
Attendees at the Tribe of Nova music festival flee the area after the attack by Hamas terrorists on Saturday, October 7.
Ogorek told the Salt Lake Tribune that his friend will be remembered for having a good heart and always willing to lend a hand.
“He died doing something we all love to do: dancing and enjoying our freedom,” Ogorek said.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn