An Unlikely Bond Born from Terror

Ashley Key: "Shalev, thank you so much for talking with me today. You are a survivor of the horrific attack on October 7th at the Nova Music Festival. Can you just take us back to that day? What led you to the Nova music Festival and what happened?" 

Shalev Biton: "I came here with five friends, very good friends from school... and for us we call that a reunion celebration because we didn't see each other for a long time. So, we were very excited to come here." 

What began as a joyous school reunion in the open fields of southern Israel quickly turned into a waking nightmare. 
"Then inside my tent on 6:39 and I could hear the launch of the missiles," Shalev recalled. "From the first moment I recognized the sound of it, and I went outside my tent to make sure that what I'm hearing is correct. I saw thousands of trailers of rockets above us, and then we understood that the party probably will not keep going. And it's better for us to cut back all our stuff and drive back home." 

As they tried to evacuate, the situation escalated rapidly. "We were on this main road on 7:20 a.m.," Shalev said. "Then we started to hear more gunshots, much closer to us, much more intensive gunshots and that was very strange because this is Saturday morning, and you’re not supposed to hear any gunshots in Israel." 

Leaving their car to assess the danger, Shalev was met with immediate trauma. "I remember that I was open the door and I look to my right side and a woman that she was sitting inside this car, she was bleeding very heavy from her upper body. She was screaming... and I was in shock." Moments later, panic set in as word spread of attackers on motorcycles, and gunfire began targeting the fleeing crowds directly. 

Fleeing into open fields, Shalev and his friends ran for five miles before seeking refuge at a nearby farm, where they encountered an initially frightening man. 

"When I saw him, I was very afraid that maybe this guy, he's from Gaza because he was more than 40 years old, speaking Hebrew with very strong Arabic accent... On my mind they were thinking, oh my God, I hope he is not from Gaza because maybe he will do something to me..." 

That man was Younis, the manager of the property. Recognizing the peril of the surrounding area, Younis sheltered Shalev and his friends inside a dining room, offering them food and water. 

However, safety was short-lived. Younis soon rushed back, shouting warnings of incoming terrorists. The group scrambled underneath the building, holding their breath in total silence. For agonizing minutes, they listened to Arabic shouts just outside, culminating in chilling words: “Where are the Jews.” 

"Since the moment that I heard the sentence, I had no doubt about what's going on around me, and I was kind of... accepting that these are my last moments." 

Yet, the expected execution never came. After twenty agonizing minutes of silence, a voice called out from the darkness—it was Younis, returning to secure their rescue before two cars arrived to take them to safety. 

"And this day gave me a huge lesson for my life," Shalev reflected. "Because the first moment that I saw Younis, I was pretty sure he was going to hurt me. Then this guy risked his life to save me. And another seven friends of mine. And his act was a huge thing for me, it's like a lesson for the rest of my life." 

Ashley Key: "How are you doing personally? Because there are a lot of Nova music Festival survivors. There have been several that have committed suicide because of the trauma that they've experienced. How are you doing?" 

Shalev Biton: "For me, the connection with Younis brought me a lot of hope to life because I lost any hope in humanity. Because of, of that, like, sharing my story, I was able to find the purpose behind what happened to me." 

That sense of purpose recently culminated in a powerful public appearance alongside the man who saved him. 

Ashley Key: “You shared that it was you, Israeli Jew, next to a Muslim, Arabic person, speaking at a Christian church. Talk about the importance of just that moment.” 

Shalev Biton: "For me, that was a huge moment because... we stood on one stage, me, Shalev, next to Younis, and we all spoke about the same future, the same values. Yes. Praying for better days and to live in, in peace with each other. Just, that day taught me that everything is about the people."