The bodies of Judi Weinstein-Haggai and Gad Haggai, a dual U.S.-Israeli couple murdered and abducted by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, have been recovered in a military operation and returned to Israel, officials confirmed Thursday.
According to Kibbutz Nir Oz, where the couple resided, they were killed and taken from the fields near their home during the Hamas-led assault, which left more than 1,200 people dead and dozens kidnapped. Their deaths were confirmed in December 2023, and their remains were recovered overnight in a complex operation nearly 20 months after their abduction.
"Gad was kidnapped and murdered at the age of 72. He was a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz, a father of four and grandfather of seven. A sharp-minded individual, he was a gifted wind instrument musician from the age of three, deeply connected to the land, a chef, and an advocate of healthy vegan nutrition and sports. He was abducted to Gaza along with his wife, Judi Weinstein," the statement read.
"Judi was kidnapped and murdered at the age of 70. A member of Kibbutz Nir Oz, she was a mother of four and grandmother of seven. An English teacher specializing in children with special needs and attention disorders, she also worked with children suffering from anxiety related to the security situation in the Gaza border area, using meditation and mindfulness techniques. She was a poet, an entrepreneur, a creative spirit, and deeply committed to promoting peace and coexistence."
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The kibbutz Nir Oz mourned the couple’s loss and said it would continue to stand by their family. “We share in the family’s grief and will accompany them at all times,” the statement said.
The family issued a message expressing both sorrow and gratitude. “We are grateful for the closure this brings and for their return to a proper burial at home, in Israel,” they said. “We wish to thank the IDF and the security forces who carried out the complex recovery operation and who have been fighting for us for over a year and a half, as well as everyone who supported, struggled, prayed, and fought for us and for the entire people of Israel. That said, our hearts will not be whole until all 12 hostages from Nir Oz — and all 56 remaining hostages — are brought home."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the recovery, saying, “In a special operation by the Shin Bet and the IDF in the Gaza Strip, the bodies of two of our hostages held by the murderous terrorist organization Hamas were returned to Israel: Judi Weinstein-Haggai and Gad Haggai of Kibbutz Nir Oz, may their memory be a blessing.” He added, “Judi and Gad were murdered on October 7 and abducted to Gaza. Along with all Israeli citizens, my wife and I extend our deepest condolences to the dear families. The heart aches over this terrible loss. May their memory be blessed.”
Netanyahu also praised the operation, saying, “I want to thank and commend the fighters and commanders for their determined and successful execution. We will not rest and we will not remain silent until we bring all our hostages home — the living and the fallen alike.”