Yahav Winner, 36, fought off terrorists who broke into his home and allowed his family to escape
Director Yahav Winner, 36, was killed trying to protect his wife, Shaylee Atary, and their newborn daughter after terrorists broke into their home in the Kfar Aza kibbutz, near the Gaza Strip. The two were saved, but the director was captured by Hamas.
The raid on his home took place on October 7, when the Israel-Hamas war began. His death was confirmed last Thursday (12), when Israeli soldiers found the body of the director of the short film “The Boy”.
“From the testimony of the soldier who found Yahav’s body, I now know that Yahav was killed with a single shot to the head. He did not suffer,” wrote Atary. “I also know that he not only blocked the window of our room, but also tried to lock the door of the house with Shaya’s cart to stop the terrorists. He didn’t run away. He kept trying to save us. That was my husband.”
Winner’s efforts against the terrorists allowed her and her one-month-old baby, Shaya, to escape the scene and they were rescued the next day by Israeli soldiers, after hiding without food or water. The woman found out about her husband’s death on television.
“The loss of Yahav has left an indelible void in our hearts and we extend our deepest condolences to Shaylee Atary, his wife, family, friends and all who were touched by his art and spirit,” said production company Go2Films in a statement.
Winner’s short films include “The Boy”, about a father and son from a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip facing rocket fire and close combat. The film won the award for best cinematography at the 2023 Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival.