The family of Noam Madar, a contestant on Israel's "Big Brother," has decided not to inform him about the death of his cousin, First Sergent Amit Bakri, who was killed in combat in Gaza on Tuesday.
"Amit was not only a cousin but also a close friend to Noam and his brother Barak (who also appeared on the show but was evicted earlier)," the family wrote on Madar's Instagram account. "We are all in shock, heartbroken by this tragedy, and trying to cope with this new reality."
The family shared that they spent hours deliberating about the best way to handle the heartbreaking situation. "We know Amit was incredibly proud of Noam and the path he’s on. Right now, the family has decided not to tell Noam and to let him finish his journey in the show's final days."
They added that Noam is set to leave the Big Brother house on Saturday, at the show's finale, and will join the family for the mourning period. "We are confident that Amit, from above, continues to be proud of Noam."
The family's decision aligns with a request Madar made at the beginning of the season, asking Big Brother producers to notify him only in the event of the death of an immediate family member.