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When their story reached the band, Shadows posted a video message on social media celebrating their return home.
By Aaron Sull, Jewish Breaking News
Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows is bravely defending his decision to record a personal video message for two newly freed Israeli hostages, insisting the gesture was “not political — it’s human.”
Childhood friends Evyatar David (24) and Guy Gilboa-Dalal (24) were kidnapped during Hamas’s October 7 massacre.
After enduring two years of captivity, they were freed last week under the U.S.-mediated ceasefire — along with the last 20 living hostages.
During their ordeal, the pair clung to the music of Avenged Sevenfold, whose songs they knew by heart and which became a lifeline in Gaza’s darkness.
Freed hostages Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David pose with their new guitars, gifted by Israeli company Wild Guitars and local Avenged Sevenfold fans, October 18, 2025.
When their story reached the band, Shadows posted a video message on social media celebrating their return home.
“Evyatar and Guy, I’m so excited to hear you guys are home today. We’ve been following the story closely. We knew you guys were devoted A7X fans, and we appreciate it so much. The things you guys have been through — it’s just unspeakable, terrible,” Shadows said.
“Hopefully we see you guys soon. Be safe. Spend time with your family. Get some rest, and hopefully we can see you guys soon. Welcome home. Glad you guys are okay.”
A montage clip re-posted by the A7X Israel fan community captures Gilboa-Dalal’s stunned reaction as he watches Shadows’ message.
“No! ‘See you soon’!” he says in disbelief from what appears to be a hospital recovery room. When Evyatar David chimes in that Shadows is “waiting for you,” Gilboa-Dalal laughs again: “No way… do you think he would meet me?”
As the video fades out, the pair sit shoulder to shoulder, grinning as they play air guitar in freedom to one of their favorite Avenged Sevenfold songs.
However, the joy of the moment didn’t last long outside Israel. Once the clip circulated globally, Shadows was blasted on social media by Hamas supporters for “taking sides” in the Gaza conflict.
Sticking to his principles, Shadows told Rolling Stone he had no regrets about recording the message.
“It’s not something that I’m going to worry about. I know that it’s the right thing to do. You have to stick to your moral compass,” he said.
“To me, that video is just a human doing something for another human. It’s not making a political stance. It’s not sticking it in someone’s eye. It really is about two human beings that have been through hell. And if we can’t agree on that, it’s really hard to agree on anything.”
As for Evyatar and Guy, Shadows said he hopes to meet them someday.
“I haven’t heard from them yet,” he stated, “but I’m sure we’ll play in Israel again — and when we do, we’ll do something special for them.”
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