by Temitope Oladeji
05/06/2025
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has announced the recovery of the bodies of two Israeli-American hostages, Judi Weinstein Haggai and her husband, Gadi Haggai, who were abducted during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
According to a military statement, the couple was killed by gunmen from the Mujahideen Brigades during the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Judi, 70, also held Canadian citizenship, while Gadi was 72.
Their bodies were discovered overnight in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza and were returned to Israel for forensic identification.
Following this development, the total number of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza stands at 56, of whom at least 20 are believed to be still alive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended his condolences, saying, “Our hearts grieve over this terrible loss. May their memories be blessed.”
He praised the Israeli forces for their efforts and reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to securing the return of all hostages:
“We will not rest, nor will we be silent, until we bring everyone home, both the living and the deceased.”
The Haggai family expressed grief and relief, recalling how the couple went out for a walk on the morning of October 7 and never returned.
“We welcome the closure and their return for a proper burial at home, in Israel,” the family said.
Judi, an English teacher, and Gadi, a former kitchen worker at the kibbutz, were last seen in a video they shared with friends as the attack unfolded.
They were taking cover in a field as rockets flew overhead and gunfire echoed in the background.
Judi managed to contact relatives briefly, saying they had been wounded.
According to their daughter, Iris Weinstein Haggai, her mother told her that “terrorists on a motorcycle” had shot them and that her father was gravely injured.
An ambulance sent to help was reportedly struck by a rocket.
In December 2023, Kibbutz Nir Oz announced that both had been killed on the day of the attack and their bodies taken to Gaza.
On Wednesday, an Israeli military official said the recovery operation in Khan Younis was based on “precise intelligence” provided by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet security agency.
While further details were withheld due to operational sensitivity, Israeli Army Radio reported the intelligence came from the interrogation of a captured Palestinian fighter.
“We remain committed to doing everything in our power to bring our hostages home, both the living, to be reunited with their families, and the dead, for a respectful burial,” the official said.
In response, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum called on leaders to urgently pursue a new ceasefire agreement to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
“There is no need to wait another 608 agonizing days,” the group stated.
“This mission can be completed as early as tomorrow. That is what the majority of the Israeli people want.”