'She was...his soul': Hamas victim's boyfriend dies at her grave
What's the story
A 30-year-old man whose girlfriend was killed by Hamas at the Nova festival during the 2023 October 7 massacre shot himself at her grave, unable to deal with the pain. Bar Asraf, a 30-year-old from Sha'arei Tikva, was found with gunshot wounds by his family at the grave of his girlfriend Liron Barda. The couple was described as "soulmates since childhood," and their relationship was deeply cherished by both families.
Tragic discovery
Asraf's sister found him lying next to Barda's grave
Speaking to Walla, his sister said that he was struggling to cope with the death of Barda.
"We were at my brother's wedding. He apparently started to feel lonely. You couldn't tell. He was always happy and laughing," his sister, Lihi, said.
"His best friend was murdered in Nova. He has a tattoo of her, she was a part of his soul," she said.
Sister
'I saw him lying next to Liron's grave'
His sister said that when he left during the groom's celebration, she thought he went to be alone.
"And...two hours passed, my older sister said, 'Come on, we're going to look for him.' First in the most logical places, and then we went to check Liron's grave. He loved talking there and being with her."
"I walked over, and suddenly I saw him lying next to Liron's grave. I said to him, 'Bar, get up, what are you doing again...'
Grave
He died in the place he wanted to be most
It was then that they saw him covered in blood.
"I stepped on a gun beside him. I screamed...My father started CPR. I knew it was the end. He was cold. Magen David Adom tried everything. He died in the place he wanted to be most, with the woman he wanted to be with most," she said.
"He was actually coping well, but he had a moment of madness, being alone while seeing everyone with their families," she continued.
Unforgettable loss
Barda was killed while helping the injured
According to the Jerusalem Post, Barda was the bar manager at Nova.
She stayed behind to help the injured during the attack. While her friends and family begged her to flee during the massacre, she stayed behind to administer first aid to the wounded until she was killed herself by Hamas terrorists.
The news haunted Asraf until his death, family members said.
Heartfelt tribute
Asraf's mother and local council express condolences
Asraf's mother Bracha remembered her son's love for Barda, saying he was a "boy of giving, of love."
She recalled how he would always lean on her during tough times and how much he missed Barda after her death.
"He said, 'Mom, I'm sad. It's hard for me without Liron. I miss her. There's no one who can replace her, no one to cheer me up.' We felt he was struggling deeply without her," his mother said.