‘Fun-loving’ Utah man, 24, killed in cold blood by Hamas at NOVA rave and ‘hero’, 21, fighting in Israeli army who sacrificed himself to save others are among Americans killed in Hamas’ barbaric invasion

Two more Americans have been identified as killed amid Hamas’s brutal attack on Israel this week.

One of the victims was a 24-year-old ‘fun’ aspiring musician from Utah who was among the more than 260 people slaughtered at a music festival on Saturday morning.

Lotan Abir traveled from the Beehive State to attend the concert with other members of Utah’s Jewish community.

‘He ended up giving up his life for our people during a rave while celebrating some of his greatest passions in life. … Just a kind, sweet, loving, innocent soul murdered by a terrorist,’ said Rabbi Avremi Zippel The Salt Lake Tribune.

Another of those lives tragically lost was Roey Weiser, 21, an Israeli-American soldier who saved the lives of 12 of his comrades after he was attacked by terrorists at his base on Saturday.

“He died the way he lived, putting others first and when his base was overrun by terrorists, he went out on his own to distract them so others could escape,” his mother Naomi Feifer-Weiser said in ‘ told CNN in an interview.

“Because of his bravery, at least 12 other soldiers are alive today,” the grieving mother added.

Weiser was a native of Efrat, a settlement near the West Bank. His father is a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, while his mother is from Brooklyn, New York. The parents raised their family in Israel. He was a sergeant in the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Army.

In a Facebook post, Weiser’s father, Yami Weiser, said his son’s death had caused ‘indescribable grief’ and that he was ‘killed’ in the line of duty while ‘defending the southern border’.

After his position was overrun, Weiser opened fire on a group of terrorists from behind, allowing his fellow soldiers to regroup. He was shot dead during this engagement, reports say The Jewish Press.

An unidentified family member said The Jerusalem Post: “Roey’s bravery shone through when he tried to distract the terrorists during the early stages of the battle and saved at least 12 fellow soldiers.”

Before joining the Army, Weiser was a firefighter.

In a online tribute, Weiser’s family in Maryland called him their “favorite Israeli Washington sports fan.” His smile lit up the room’ who loved to eat donuts and talk about the Washington commanders.

According to Yami’s Facebook posts, their son’s body was found on Tuesday. His funeral was held early Wednesday.

“Our only wish is to lay Roey to eternal rest and mourn properly,” his father wrote.

While Rabbi Avremi Zippel told the Tribune that Lotan Abir was ‘the kind of person you would want to call your friend’.

‘He ended up giving up his life for our people during a rave while celebrating some of his greatest passions in life. … Just a kind, sweet, loving, innocent soul murdered by a terrorist,’ Zippel added.

The victim moved to Utah in 2022 after completing his military service.

A friend, Elad Ogorek, told the Tribune that friends who were with Abir told him they lost him during the initial panic.

‘We knew it was going to be bad news; we didn’t know what kind of bad news it was going to be. We actually said to ourselves and asked each other, ‘Which is better – to be kidnapped to Gaza or just die?'” Ogorek said.

“He died doing something we all love to do: to dance and enjoy our freedom,” Ogorek said.

Abir worked as a DJ and musician in Utah, while also doing handyman work to make ends meet, reports Fox Salt Lake City. He was a member of the Young Jewish Professionals group.

According to President Joe Biden, there are at least 14 Americans among the dead after Hamas’ massacre, while more are believed to have been taken hostage.

An unknown number of people from the festival were taken hostage. A video posted on social media by militants and verified by the AP shows an Israeli couple, Noa Argamani and her partner Avinatan Or, being dragged away by their captors.

Argamani, her face contorted in panic, shouted ‘No, no!’ in Hebrew as he was forced onto a motorcycle, sandwiched between two gunmen. She reaches out to Or, whose hands are tied behind his back as a group of militants march him forward.

Their whereabouts are now unknown. But Hamas claims it is now holding more than 100 Israelis hostage. The group threatened on Monday to start systematically killing prisoners if the Israeli army bombed Palestinian areas without warning.

Israel has vowed an unprecedented offensive against the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza after its fighters broke through the border fence and stormed into the country’s south.

Israel has stopped the entry of food, fuel and medicine into Gaza, and the only remaining access from Egypt was closed on Tuesday after airstrikes hit near the border crossing.

The war, which has already claimed at least 2,100 lives on both sides, is expected to escalate.

Israel seems increasingly inclined to launch a ground offensive in Gaza.

“We will not allow a reality in which Israeli children are killed,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a meeting with soldiers near the southern border on Tuesday. “I have removed every restriction — we will eliminate anyone who fights us and use every measure at our disposal.”

Israel stepped up its offensive on Tuesday, expanding the mobilization of reservists to 360,000. Israel’s military said it had regained effective control of areas attacked by Hamas in its south and along the Gaza border.