Bar Ashraf, who survived Hamas‘ October 7, 2023 attack, died by suicide at the grave of his partner, who was killed during the assault by the Palestinian militant group.

The 30-year-old’s body was found on Saturday night by his sister at the grave of his 26-year-old partner, Liron Barda, in the West Bank.

Speaking to the news website Walla, Ashraf’s sister said he went missing after they had attended a wedding together.

“An hour passed, then two, and my older sister said, ‘Let’s go look for him.’ We first went to the places where we thought he was most likely to be, and then we decided to check Liron’s grave. He loved going there, talking to her, and feeling close to her.”

Describing the moment they found him, she said:

“My sister had a feeling and told me, ‘You go.’ I walked closer and suddenly saw him lying beside Liron’s grave. I said, ‘Bar, get up. What are you doing this time?’ Then I realized he was covered in blood. I stepped on a gun lying next to him. I screamed. I couldn’t function. I knew it was the end. His body was cold. The Magen David Adom paramedics did everything they could. He died in the place where he most wanted to be, beside the woman he most wanted to be with.”

People who knew the couple said Ashraf had remained close to Liron’s family after her death and frequently visited her parents.

The 26-year-old had been working as a bartender at the Nova music festival. According to The Times of Israel, when the Hamas attack began, she reportedly refused to leave the site, choosing instead to stay and help the wounded.

“I spoke to her that morning. I asked her to leave the area, but she refused. She told me there were injured people and that she was staying,” her father told the newspaper Israel Hayom. “That was Liron. I would have been surprised if she had agreed to leave people behind and save herself,” he added.