Father Shares Heartbreaking Texts With Daughter Murdered at Nova Festival

Aharon Shem Tov, father of Inbar Shem Tov, who was killed at the Nova music festival on October 7, has shared the final, chilling text message exchange they had during the massacre. Three years after the attack, Aharon posted the conversation on Instagram in memory of his daughter.

On the morning of the massacre, Aharon left his home to try and reach Inbar, who was hiding with friends in a shipping container. In their initial exchange, Inbar tried to reassure her father, urging him not to endanger himself. She wrote that she believed they were safe, with army and police surrounding them, and promised to return home. She also expressed gratitude for being part of their lives.

As the situation deteriorated and terrorists approached, Inbar's messages became increasingly desperate. She asked her father to call the police with their location, stating, "They don't stop coming." Aharon, determined to rescue her, decided to drive towards Ofakim, telling her he was coming to get her and asking if they could escape.

Inbar expressed fear, noting that shots were fired at the container, which protected them. Her messages grew more frantic, with her writing, "My body is numb and burned, I'm scared and want to leave here already." Her final message, sent shortly before she stopped responding at 11:40 AM, was a desperate plea: "Until someone comes to save us we will die."

Aharon continued to try and contact her for hours, but received no reply. He later wrote, "Where are you my daughter? Father is broken." Inbar and her friend Amit Levi were killed in the container, while their friend Shani Levi survived by hiding under their bodies. The inscription on Inbar's tombstone reads, "Here lies a child of love."