Shaul Greenglick, a 26-year-old Israeli military reservist and singer, tragically died in the Gaza Strip. Greenglick was a participant in Israel's selection process for Eurovision 2024. His untimely death was reported by the Times of Israel on December 28.
Greenglick made a memorable appearance on the show "Israel's Rising Star" on December 3, during a break from his military duties. He performed in his army uniform and sang a cover of Hanan Ben Ari's "Blind Bat," impressively advancing to the next round of the selection.
Keshet Media Group, the producer of the show, expressed deep condolences and announced that the next episode would be dedicated to his memory.
Israeli singer Keren Palace, one of the show's judges, had previously expressed her hope to see Greenglick represent Israel at Eurovision.
Following the news of his passing, she revealed on social media that Greenglick had opted out of further participation in the show due to his commitments in the infantry reserve.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) recently rejected demands by pro-Palestinian activists to disqualify Israel from Eurovision. The EBU affirmed that the contest is for broadcasters, not governments, and the Israeli public broadcaster, a participant for over 50 years, meets all the criteria for fair competition.
Israel, a four-time winner of Eurovision, is set to participate in the 2024 contest in Sweden, following Loreen's victory in 2023.
