Matan Znati

Matan Znati, 23, from Dimona, was fatally wounded by Hamas terrorists at the Supernova music festival on October 7, and died of his wounds a day later.

His family said he and his friends were among the first to flee the scene of the party when the rockets began, but their car was ambushed by a group of Hamas terrorists. Matan protected his girlfriend with his body from the shooting, and she was wounded but survived. Matan was fatally wounded, and by the time he was brought to hospital for treatment, it was too late to save him, even after an emergency surgery.

His friend, Bar Zohar, was also slain at the rave.

Matan is survived by his parents, Yoni and Tami, and his younger siblings, Amit, Ron and Omer.

His family said he had recently returned from a year-long trip abroad, and was hoping to soon begin studying programming at the Technion.

His sister, Omer, said she was thankful the family got a chance to say goodbye: “I am thankful that I had the privilege of being with him in his last moments, and that we have a grave and can mourn him,” she told Israel Hayom. “He was a child of gold who wanted to take the world by storm. I’m trying to be strong.”

“Matan’s only sin was celebrating at a festival of peace in the land of Israel at the Supernova,” his father, Yoni, told a local Beersheba news site.

Yoni said that Matan served in a combat unit on the northern border during his mandatory military service: “He finished his service with excellence and was the pride of all his commanders. After his army service, he worked and saved up money to achieve his goal of traveling around the world.”

His father said Matan set out in August 2022 for 14 months of travel around South America, and that he joined him for the final month in the Caribbean, where they snorkeled, kite surfed, and enjoyed their time together. Matan had returned to Israel just a few weeks before he was murdered.

His mother, Tami Cohen, told Ynet that Matan “had so many plans for the future — work, studying at the Technion, living together with your girlfriend. You were meant to conquer life. You were smart and such a good boy, the pride of everyone at home.”

“Matan, you were my heart and my whole world. My sun which warmed me up and made me smile every day. I don’t know how to go on without you.”
Source: The Times of Israel