Former Desolated Bassist Confirmed Dead After Hamas Attack on Music Festival

UPDATE: The family of Jake Marlowe has revealed that the musician has now been confirmed among the dead. In a statement posted by Jake's mother Lisa Marlowe, she wrote, "From Lisa and Michael Marlowe, We are heartbroken to have to inform you the crushing news that our son Jake has been confirmed dead in Southern Israel. Repatriation plans are being put in to place, more information will follow. Please respect our privacy at this most devastating time."

Jake Marlowe, a former bassist for the British hardcore band Desolated, is among the many missing after Hamas militants launched an attack on the Tribe of Nova music festival just east of Gaza.

The musician had been working security at the festival and had left messages with family and friends prior to going missing. Per The Independent, one of Marlowe's last messages was that he was attempting to evacuate people from the festival while using a quad bike as gunmen were starting to storm the music event.

“He last spoke to his mother at 4.30AM U.K. time, saying he saw rockets [fired from Gaza] and that he even filmed it,” Daniel Aboudy, a friend of Mr Marlowe, told The Independent from London. “Then 45 minutes later they spoke briefly but since then his phone hasn’t rung.”

He added, “Another friend forwarded a voice message from Jake and his friend, as they were told to evacuate.” “Me and Shlomi are right by Gaza, bro," said Marlowe in a voice message transcribed by The Independent, adding, "We are seeing it in front of our eyes, we are rounding up the people from the party now, we are on an ATV [quad bike] and we are telling everyone to get the fuck outta there."

His mother Lisa also shared with The Jewish Chronicle, “At about 5.30AM, he texted to say, ‘signal very bad, everything OK, will keep you updated I promise you,’ and that he loves me." She added, he later commented, “I don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing. I’ve got people in Israel phoning the home guard command, others talking to others, everyone’s just trying to help as much as they can.”

Israel’s embassy to the U.K. confirmed Marlowe among the missing in a statement released on Saturday (Oct. 7).

Per The Jewish Chronicle, Aboudy said Marlowe had become increasingly interested in genealogy, and learning about his roots, combined with observing a spike in antisemitism in the U.K. that prompted his move to Israel in 2021. The musician had also taken up trade as a carpenter, and Aboudy noted, "Jake was happy living his life the way it was, it was simple, he was seeking out adventure. He was a massive fan of Israel, he was thriving there and living his best life.”

Marlowe's former band Desolated shared news of Marlowe's disappearance on their socials, telling fans, "Yo, If any one on here is from Israel and knows the where abouts of Jake Marlowe please drop a line. He went missing after the attacks on the nature party festival which he was working security for."

On Sunday night (Oct. 8), Israel’s search and rescue agency said more than 260 people had died, while dozens more festival attendees are presumed missing, kidnapped or dead.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has continued to escalate in recent days, with bombing continuing to take place around Gaza and the Hamas militant group making threats of executing hostages.

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Desolated's musical history dates back to 2010 with the release of The Birth of Corruption album. Their most recent studio album was 2016's The End, though they did issue a new EP titled A New Realm of Misery in 2019.