Israeli Man Shahar Ben Na'im Killed by Terrorists After Hiding in Orchard on October 7

Shahar Ben Na'im, a father of three, was among five friends who attended the Nova party near Kibbutz Re'im in the Gaza border area on the night of October 6-7. After the party ended early on October 7, the group began returning to Shahar's horse farm when they were ambushed by terrorists near Mefalsim junction. Two of Shahar's friends, Lior Asulin and Hanan Yablonka, were shot, with Yablonka later brutally executed by terrorists after being dragged into Gaza.

Shahar, along with Hila Klein and Mercedes Amar, managed to escape the initial attack and hid in a nearby citrus orchard for about two hours. During this time, Shahar repeatedly contacted his mother and sister, updating them on the situation and believing that rescue forces were on their way. The last communication with Shahar was at 9:24 a.m., when terrorists killed him. His sister Hagit described the terror he endured and shared the final audio messages he sent to his family.

The night before the attack, Shahar's mother had urged him not to attend the party, but he went anyway. After the attack, Shahar's family searched for him, eventually identifying his body near the attack site. Hagit described Shahar as charismatic, loving, and deeply connected to his family and friends. Since his death, his mother has struggled profoundly, quitting her nursing job, and Hagit has coped with intense grief and guilt.

To honor Shahar's memory, Hagit and a friend established the "Rising Dawn Light" association to support bereaved families, terror victims, and soldiers. Despite the trauma, the family continues to cherish Shahar's legacy, especially his close bond with his three children, including his 16-year-old son Hof, whose bar mitzvah Shahar celebrated shortly before his death.