A heroic British-Israeli soldier picked up and threw seven Hamas grenades, saving dozens of lives in a crowded shelter, before an eighth exploded in his hand, killing him, his grandmother has said.
Aner Shapiro died during the surprise Hamas attack on October 7 when gunmen surged out of Gaza and struck at the Supernova music festival.
The 22-year-old sacrificed himself to save roughly 30 other festivalgoers, it has been revealed.
Mr Shapiro and his friend Hersh Goldberg, who is feared to have been taken hostage, had fled to a shelter as Hamas attacked.
His grandmother Yamima Ben-Menahem told Sky News that he “took leadership” during the bloodbath and put himself in the firing line when gunmen approached, blocking the entrance to the hideaway and throwing back grenades launched by the terrorists.
The festival site was one of the worst massacres on October 7, with horrific footage showing people running for their lives.
At least 260 partygoers lost their lives. Some victims hid in skips or in portable toilets before they were found and either gunned down, or savagely beaten before being taken hostage.
Mr Shapiro’s grandmother Yamima Ben-Menahem said: “When they (Hamas) started throwing grenades into the shelter, he said “I’m going to throw them back and if I miss one you do the rest of the work”.
“He stood there and threw back one grenade after the other.”
Mr Shapiro threw back seven grenades before an eighth blew up in his hands, killing him.
After his death, Hamas reportedly went into the shelter and took five or six hostages before shooting the rest of the group, Ms Ben-Menahem claimed.
Ms Ben-Menahem said that since the attack some of the survivors reached out to their family to say that Mr Shapiro “saved our lives”.
Another posted a tribute on Facebook, writing: “Aner Shapiro… saved our lives and he deserves a a medal of honor for being an angel who guarded us.”
More than 200 people were taken hostage during the attack at the Nova festival, which prompted Israel to bombard and blockade Hamas-run Gaza.
The war has now become the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides.
