CHANDLER, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) – It’s been nearly two weeks since the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. The war began on a joyous Jewish holiday when Hamas infiltrated a music festival with rockets and guns. One of the Israelis killed at that concert has a connection to Phoenix.
Brian Newman lives in the Valley, but his brother and brother’s children live in Israel. The family is grieving after one of Brian’s nephews was killed at a music festival near Gaza during the Hamas attack earlier this month.
David Newman is being hailed a hero. “They called him David “Melech.” Melech means “the king” in Hebrew,” said Brian. His uncle described the 25-year-old Israeli as the life of the party. “He will be beyond missed,” said Brian.
David was among the thousands of people attending a rave in southern Israel near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. Hamas fired hundreds of rockets into the Nova Music Festival. Many people were kidnapped, and 260 people were killed, including David and some of his friends. “Even at the last minute of his life it was all about helping everybody else and doing what he could to protect them,” said Brian.
Brian said David was a protector and leader. He previously served in the Israel Defense Forces. His family said he took charge of the group he was with during the attack, taking cover and hiding under garbage bags in a dumpster for hours. “He sent out his coordinates to his commanding officer and because of that apparently the commanding officer got in touch with the right people and a convoy went out to save them,” he said. “Apparently 200 or 300 people got located because David had sent out the coordinates, so he’s a hero.”
His uncle said David’s girlfriend was there when he was killed, and she was also shot but survived. “She said that David kind of looked up and saw them and they saw him and just started shooting and then they randomly shot inside the garbage bin,” said Brian.
Loved ones are mourning the sudden, violent loss and remembering the joy David brought to those around him. “Light, helpful, happy,” are words Brian used to describe David.
Brian said watching the war unfold has been painful, and he is praying for peace. He said if David were still alive, he would have been called back to serve in the IDF and defending his country is something his nephew took pride in.
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