Bar Asraf, Nova Festival survivor, dies by suicide at girlfriend's grave

Bar Asraf, a 30‑year‑old Israeli who survived the Hamas‑led October 7 attack on the Nova music festival, was found dead from an apparent self‑inflicted gunshot wound at the Alkana (Elkana) cemetery in the West Bank. He died beside the grave of his former girlfriend, Liron Barda, 26, who was killed while working as a bartender at the same festival when Hamas militants stormed the site.

Family members said Asraf had struggled with grief for years, attending his brother’s wedding only days before the incident. His sister and other relatives described his deep bond with Barda and noted that he frequently visited her grave. The tragedy has drawn attention to the ongoing mental‑health crisis among survivors of the October 7 attacks, with some officials citing dozens of suicides among Nova survivors, a figure the Israeli Health Ministry disputes.

The Nova festival massacre was one of more than 1,200 deaths in the broader October 7 assault, which also sparked a prolonged conflict resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides. Advocacy groups are urging the Israeli government to expand psychological support for victims and their families.