Bodies of American-Israeli Hostages Recovered in Gaza by Israeli Forces
Israeli forces recovered the bodies of American-Israeli couple Judith Weinstein-Haggai, 70, and Gadi Haggai, 72, during an overnight operation in Gaza, Israel’s military announced Thursday. The couple, residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz, were killed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack and had been held by the Mujahideen Brigades, an armed group operating in Gaza.
The operation was carried out by the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency, using intelligence obtained from the interrogation of a captured fighter. The couple’s remains were formally identified at the National Center of Forensic Medicine before their families were notified.
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Weinstein-Haggai, also a Canadian citizen, was an educator who specialized in working with children with special needs. She was also a poet and peace activist. Her husband, described as a gifted musician and vegan chef, was remembered for his sharp mind. The couple had four children and seven grandchildren.
“We welcome the closure that we have been granted,” the family said in a statement. “However, our hearts will not be whole until all 12 hostages from Nir Oz and all 56 hostages in total are brought back,” the family added.
In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum emphasized the importance of bringing back all the hostages, including the deceased, describing burial as “as basic human right, without which personal and national recovery is impossible.”
The bodies of two additional US citizens, Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, are thought to remain in Hamas captivity. Edan Alexander, who was the last living US citizen held by Hamas, was freed last month.
