Kibbutz Nir Oz confirms Judy Weinstein's death, body still held in Gaza

Kibbutz Nir Oz announced the death of Judy Weinstein Haggai, 70, on Thursday, who was killed by Hamas on October 7, and her body is still being held by the terrorist organization in Gaza.

Judy was 70 years old, and a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz. Mother of four, grandmother of seven. She was an English teacher specializing in children with special needs and worked with children with anxiety by using meditation and mindfulness methods. She was a poet and entrepreneur, and was dedicated to working for peace and brotherhood, the kibbutz said. 

Judy's husband, Gadi Haggai, 72, was also murdered on October 7, and his body is also still in the hands of Hamas. The two were attacked while they were on a walk that morning in the kibbutz.

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.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a statement on Weinstein's death, stating that "Judy had time to inform her friends that she'd been hit by a gunshot and that her husband Gadi was seriously injured, that was her last contact with them."

N12 reported that Judy also managed to record the beginning of the attack on video - and also tried to contact MDA paramedics when her husband was shot.

Weinstein's daughter, Iris, heard in a phone call that her parents were hiding and that her father was injured, and later lost contact with them.

US President Joe Biden issued a statement on Thursday on Weinstein's death, saying that "Jill and I are devastated to learn that American Judith Weinstein is also believed to have been killed by Hamas on October 7. We are holding Judy's and Gadi's loved ones close to our hearts."