An American-Israeli man who was kidnapped into Gaza during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants was killed in the attack, a group representing families of hostages and his kibbutz community said Friday.
Gadi Haggai, 73, is the latest confirmed death among hostages held by Palestinian militants in the area. Haggai and his wife came under fire from Hamas gunmen as they rampaged through Kibbutz Nir Oz, where they lived. It was assumed at the time that he had been seriously wounded.
He was kidnapped to Gaza along with his wife Judith Weinstein Haggai (70), who is believed to be the oldest remaining woman among the hostages. She is also an Israeli-American dual citizen.
Gadi Haggai and his wife Judy Weinstein Haggai Hostages and Missing Persons Family Forum
The couple were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz while they were on their “normal morning walk” on October 7, the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum said in a statement announcing his death. In it he was described as a “musician at heart”.
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The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum said Judith managed to “tell her friends that they had been seriously injured by gunfire during the attack” and described her husband as “severely injured”.
Kibbutz Nir Oz said his body was still being held by Hamas in Gaza. He was said to be the father of four children and the grandfather of seven children. The Israeli army also confirmed his death.
His daughter Iris told CBS News in an interview in late November, when dozens of hostages were released under a temporary ceasefire, that she had seen video evidence that her father had actually been killed by militants who then took his body. She said she had no news about her mother at the time.
“They didn’t see the released hostages. They haven’t heard from her,” she told CBS News. “I have no proof of my mother’s life. Nothing.”
On October 7, Hamas militants poured across the Gaza border and attacked southern Israeli communities, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
Around 250 people were also taken hostage in the brazen attack.
Since then, Israel's heavy air, sea and ground attacks on Gaza have killed at least 20,000 people, most of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled area.
The temporary ceasefire in November led to the release of 105 hostages – Israelis and some foreigners – in exchange for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
According to Israeli authorities, 129 people are still being held hostage in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas at war
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