Two more Americans have been identified as killed amid Hamas’s brutal assault on Israel this week. 

One of the victims was a 24-year-old ‘fun-loving’ aspiring musician from Utah who was among the more than 260 people who were slaughtered at a music festival on Saturday morning. 

Lotan Abir had traveled from the Beehive State to attend the concert along with other members of Utah’s Jewish community. 

‘He ultimately gave up his life for the sake of our people at a rave while celebrating some of his greatest passions in life… Just a kind, sweet, fun-loving, innocent soul who was massacred by a terrorist,’ Rabbi Avremi Zippel told The Salt Lake Tribune. 

Lotan Abir, 24, an Israeli-native had just moved to Utah in 2022 to further his music career 

Roey Weiser, 21, an Israeli-American soldier who saved the lives of 12 of his comrades after being attacked by terrorists at his base on Saturday

Another of those killed was Roey Weiser, 21, an Israeli-American soldier who saved the lives of 12 of his comrades after being attacked by terrorists at his base on Saturday.

‘He died how he lived, by putting others first and when his base was overrun by terrorists, he went on his own to divert their attention allowing others to escape,’ his mother Naomi Feifer-Weiser told CNN in an interview. 

‘Because of his bravery, at least 12 other soldiers are alive today,’ the grieving mother added. 

Weiser was a native of Efrat, a settlement close to the West Bank. His father is a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, while his mother hails from Brooklyn, New York. The parents raised their family in Israel. He was a sergeant in the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces. 

In a Facebook post, Weiser’s father, Yami Weiser, said his son’s death caused ‘indescribable heartbreak’ and that he was ‘murdered’ in the line of duty while ‘defending the southern border.’

After his position became overrun, Weiser opened fire on a group of terrorists from behind, which allowed his fellow soldiers to regroup. He was shot dead during this engagement, reports The Jewish Press. 

An unidentified family member told The Jerusalem Post: ‘Roey’s bravery shone when he attempted to divert the terrorists during the early stages of the battle, saving at least 12 fellow soldiers.’ 

Prior to joining the military, Weiser was a firefighter. 

In an online tribute, Weiser’s relatives in Maryland called him their ‘favorite Israeli Washington sports fan. His smile lit up the room’ who loved to eat donuts and talk about the Washington Commanders. 

According Yami’s Facebook posts, their son’s body was located on Tuesday. His funeral was held early Wednesday. 

‘Our sole wish is to lay Roey to eternal rest and grieve properly,’ his father wrote.

A tribute to Weiser close his family home near the West Bank 

Weiser pictured with other members of his unit in the Golani Brigade

Meanwhile, Rabbi Avremi Zippel told the Tribune that Lotan Abir was ‘the sort of person that you would want to call your friend.’ 

‘He ultimately gave up his life for the sake of our people at a rave while celebrating some of his greatest passions in life… Just a kind, sweet, fun-loving, innocent soul who was massacred by a terrorist,’ Zippel added. 

The victim moved to Utah in 2022 after finishing his military service. 

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A friend, Elad Ogorek, told the Tribune that they lost Abir during the initial panic.

‘We knew it was going to be bad news; we didn’t know what type of bad news it was gonna be. We actually said ourselves, and asked each other, “What’s better — to get kidnapped to Gaza or just die?”,’ Ogorek said. 

‘He died doing a thing we all like to do: to dance and enjoy our freedom,’ Ogorek said. 

Abir worked as a DJ and musician in Utah while also performing handyman work in order to make ends meet, reports Fox Salt Lake City. He was a member of the Young Jewish Professionals group.

Adrienne Neta, 66, is also missing. She is a nurse and midwife who moved to Israel from California in 1981

Hersh Golberg-Polin, 23, texted his mother and father ‘I love you. I’m sorry’ at 8.11am on Saturday – as Palestinian militants declared war on Israel, took dozens of people hostage and killed hundreds during the Jewish high holiday

Daniel Ben Senior, 34, was working at Nova festival on Saturday when Hamas militants attacked

Natalie Ranaan was visiting family for the High Holidays with her mother, Judith, when the assault began on Saturday. Since then, relatives have not heard from either woman

Judith Raanan was also taken hostage along with her daughter. Their family in Illinois has not heard from them since Saturday

According to President Joe Biden, there are at least 14 Americans among the dead, while more are believed to have been taken hostage. 

An unknown number of people from the festival were taken hostage. A video posted to social media by militants and verified by the AP shows an Israeli couple, Noa Argamani and her partner Avinatan Or, being dragged away by their captors.

Argamani, her face contorted in panic, shouts ‘No, no!’ in Hebrew while being forced onto a motorbike, sandwiched between two gunmen. She reaches out for Or, whose hands are bound behind his back as a group of militants march him forward.

Their whereabouts are now unknown. But Hamas claims it is holding more than 100 Israelis as hostages. On Monday, the group threatened to begin systematically killing captives if the Israeli military bombs Palestinian areas without warning.

Missing: Sisters Norelle and Roya Manzuri, who previously attended school in Los Angeles, were at the peace festival on Saturday 

Israel has vowed an unprecedented offensive against the Islamic militant group ruling Gaza after its fighters broke through the border fence and stormed into the country’s south.

Israel has stopped entry of food, fuel and medicine into Gaza, and the sole remaining access from Egypt was shut down Tuesday after airstrikes hit near the border crossing. 

The war, which has already claimed at least 2,100 lives on both sides, is expected to escalate.

Israel appears increasingly likely to launch a ground offensive into Gaza.

‘We will not allow a reality in which Israeli children are murdered,’ Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a meeting with soldiers near the southern border on Tuesday. ‘I have removed every restriction — we will eliminate anyone who fights us, and use every measure at our disposal.’

Israel stepped up its offensive on Tuesday, expanding the mobilization of reservists to 360,000. Israel’s military said it had regained effective control over areas Hamas attacked in its south and along the Gaza border.

Murdered: Debbie, a Missouri native, and Shlomi Matias were killed in front of their son on Saturday