Amit Gabay, 17: Teen with a huge ‘smile and a wide heart’

Amit Gabay, 17, from Kibbutz Re’im, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in his home on October 7.

Gabay was staying in the youth housing section of the kibbutz when the rocket air raid sirens began and residents quickly realized terrorists had also infiltrated the kibbutz. His family, who was in its own home nearby, told him to stay in his safe room and not leave. He last sent them a message at 8:10 a.m. and was last seen on WhatsApp at 8:17 a.m.

The next morning the family was informed that he had been killed.

He is survived by his parents, Adi and Noam, and younger siblings Ofri and Omer. His family said he loved rap music and traveling with his friends, and was excited to be living on his own in the kibbutz’s youth wing.

His close friend, Liam Or, was kidnapped that same day, and freed on November 29. After he was released, he found out that Gabay had been killed.

“Gabay, my brother, we’ve been neighbors and best friends since age 0,” Or wrote on social media. “You accompanied me my entire life, from the baby house to kindergarten, school, high school, we were always brothers, there’s no other word. You were the perfect partner, for the first [cigarette] puff, for all of the trips in nature and the outdoor coffee brewing we would do all the time.”

Or said he recalled that one day “at 6 p.m. I invited you to fly with me to a Hapoel game in Barcelona and at 1 a.m. we were already on the way to the airport.” He wrote that ever since he returned from captivity, “I think only about you. I know that you watched over me. I dreamed about you a lot and our memories gave me the strength to keep going and to believe. You are the angel who protected me and I know you will keep protecting me my entire life.”

On October 28, on what would have been his 18th birthday, his mother, Adi Gabay Rosenzweig, wrote on Facebook: “Today 18 years ago you turned us into parents, and thanks to you we received the title Mom and Dad. Today 18 years ago my heart learned what unconditional love was. Today 18 years ago you were born,” she recounted.

“But today I don’t have anyone to arrange a plate of goodies for. Today I don’t have anyone to decorate the house with balloons for. Today my heart hurts, hurts deeply.”

His grandfather, Simcha Gabay, wrote on Facebook that Amit was “a delightful child, a loving and beloved boy. My friends on Kibbutz Re’im will no longer say to me ‘What a grandson you have, your Amit, says hi to everyone, asks about them,’ because Amit will no longer smile at anyone. We will no longer see Amit enter the cafeteria with his captivating smile, we won’t see Amit on the pathways of the kibbutz. Amit will no longer ask to borrow the electric scooter, he’ll no longer ask for me to drive him somewhere… Amit always said he would either be a farmer or an educator, but none of that will be any longer, his dreams and his travels abroad, the party for his 18th birthday in the commune with all his friends. No, Amit will forever stay 18 minus 22 days.”

Amit’s father, Noam, wrote on Facebook a little over a month after his death that “as time passes it gets even harder. Can you call from wherever you are? Can you walk around there barefoot? Did you meet Yaron [Shahar who was also killed]? You forgot your coffee machine and your speaker, how will you manage?

“Call me and we’ll talk about new songs by [rappers] Jimbo, Peled and others. Play me new things and I’ll introduce you to new and interesting beers. It’s not fair that you didn’t get to enjoy your room in the youth wing that you were so looking forward to. I only just finished building the pergola so you could invite all your friends to hang out,” his father continued.

“Your smile and your wide heart are missing for me in the kibbutz. Your murder is a huge loss for the world. And maybe this screwed-up world is not worthy of you being here… I tried to call you and you didn’t answer. I’ll try again tomorrow.”

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