As someone exploring faith, I've felt a deep pull towards Islam yet have a few hurdles

Salaam everyone, hope you're all doing well. This might be a bit lengthy, so I appreciate anyone who takes a moment to read and share their thoughts. I'm still going through the Qur'an, so some of my questions might come off as basic-please bear with me. Just to give a bit of background: I've been following Buddhist teachings for a while and generally find peace in it. Lately, though, I've had some doubts stirring. During Ramadan, I joined some brothers and sisters for iftar a few times, and they kindly gave me a copy of the Qur'an in my language. In my tradition, we're encouraged to learn about other paths, so I started reading out of curiosity and to broaden my understanding. Now, a few things are on my mind: Allah's mercy is something I truly believe in. But there's a strong emphasis that those who don't believe may face Hell. I have people close to me who live in a way that aligns with what Allah teaches about good conduct-they're kind, honest, and caring-yet they don't have faith. It weighs on my heart to think they could be punished despite being good at heart. Is there no forgiveness for them? Also, it's clear that cruel actions lead to Hell, which makes sense. But Hell is described as lasting forever. Wouldn't it be more compassionate if it served as a place of learning, where souls could eventually understand their mistakes and be redeemed? Especially since Allah created us-so in a way, aren't we limited by the nature He gave us? Another thing: I don't eat meat. I know that in Islam, slaughtering an animal in Allah's name is considered humane, but I still struggle with the idea. Is this okay, or does it go against Islamic practice? Self-improvement is really important to me. I see it as a way of honoring the life Allah has blessed us with-by always trying to better ourselves, we show gratitude. Do others feel the same? Most importantly, while reading the Qur'an (I haven't finished yet), I genuinely felt a connection to Islam. What's holding me back are these questions, plus this: In Buddhism-put simply-it comes from Siddhartha, a man, not a god, who taught about letting go of desires and building moral discipline to reduce suffering. I deeply value this outlook and practice it daily, like through meditation. My branch is pretty flexible and doesn't clash with Allah's teachings; it just focuses on different aspects. Both feel true to me, and I love them equally. So I'm kind of stuck. Has anyone walked a similar path? JazakAllah for your time.