GOLSTAR Survivor Itay Regev Recounts Harrowing Nova Kidnapping

Itay Regev, a survivor of the Hamas captivity, recounted his harrowing experience of being abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7 to his fellow cast members on the reality show "GOLSTAR." Regev described the moments he and his sister, Mia Regev, along with Omer Shem Tov, realized they were ambushed by terrorists while driving on Route 232 after fleeing the festival.

As they turned onto a side road, a pickup truck blocked their path. Regev recalled the fear, telling his sister to call their father for a final farewell. "We're not getting out of here anymore, let's say goodbye," he said. Shortly after the call connected, gunfire erupted. Regev sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, and Mia was shot moments later, crying out to their father. "Dad, they're shooting me," she screamed, as their father heard the entire exchange. "Dad, we love you." Regev described it as a "farewell call," believing they were about to die.

Regev detailed the terrifying moments when terrorists approached their vehicle. He explained the psychological impact of accepting impending death. One terrorist opened his car door and pulled him out first, followed by Mia and Omer. They were all forced to lie on the ground, with one terrorist standing on Regev's back and pressing the barrel of a gun to his head against the asphalt.

It was at this critical juncture that Regev began reciting Psalm 121, "Shir La'Ma'alot." He recounted, "I just started singing 'Shir La'Ma'alot.' I sang 'Shir La'Ma'alot,' and after two minutes, the gun was out of my head." Regev felt a profound connection to God, stating, "I felt as if God was listening to me. As if He was the one who lifted the gun, not the terrorist. And here, truly, was my first interaction with Him, and from there it only strengthened."