American-Israeli hostage Gadi Haggai murdered, body held by Hamas
Gadi was a father of four and grandfather of seven, and his 70-year-old wife Judy Weinstein, is wounded and is still being held captive by Hamas.
Israeli-American Gadi Haggai, a 73-year-old resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was murdered during the October 7 massacre and his body is still being held by Hamas, his kibbutz announced on Friday.
Gadi, a father of four and grandfather of seven, and his 70-year-old wife Judy Weinstein, were taken to Gaza where she is still being held captive by Hamas.
The kibbutz stated that Gadi was “a sharp person, a gifted musician from the age of three, a chef and a follower of a healthy vegan diet.”
Haggai and his wife had been out walking early on October 7 when he was encountered by terrorists and “critically injured,” according to the Missing Persons Families Forum. Their daughter, Iris, heard in a phone call that they were hiding and that her father was injured and later lost contact with them. The terrorists kidnapped both of them and took them to Gaza.
Biden expresses his feelings over the loss
US President Joe Biden said on Friday he was “heartbroken” by the news of Haggai’s murder by Hamas.
“Jill [Biden] and I are heartbroken by the news that American Gad Haggai is now believed to have been killed by Hamas on October 7. We continue to pray for the well-being and safe return of his wife, Judy,” the US president said in a statement released by the White House.
The Biden statement gave no further details about what happened to Haggai.
“Today, we are praying for their four children, seven grandchildren, and other loved ones and are grieving this tragic news with them,” Biden said in his statement.
Haggai “will be remembered as a gifted man, with sharp intellect and a love for wind instruments which he played since he was a young child. He was a talented chef, and alongside his wife, Judy, he lived a healthy, active lifestyle,” his family said in a statement cited by Haaretz.
“We mourn the loss of our father and grandfather, and we continue to hope and pray that his body will be returned to us and that Judy is still alive and we will be reunited soon,” they said.
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