Israeli Forces Recover Bodies of Two Israeli-American Hostages Killed in Hamas Attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the remains of Judi Weinstein and Gad Haggai, the Israeli-American hostages taken in the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, were recovered and returned to Israel in a special operation by the army and Shin Bet internal security agency. The couple, both 72, were killed in the attack while taking an early morning walk near their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Weinstein, a 70-year-old teacher at the kibbutz, had also taught English to children with special needs and meditation to children and teenagers suffering from anxiety due to rocket fire from Gaza.

Key Takeaways:

• Judi Weinstein and Gad Haggai, Israeli-American citizens, were taken hostage by Hamas during the 7 October 2023 attack.
• The couple was killed in the attack and their bodies were recovered by Israeli forces from the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
• Weinstein was a teacher at Kibbutz Nir Oz, where she taught English to children with special needs and meditation to children and teenagers affected by rocket fire from Gaza.
• Haggai was a retired chef and jazz musician.
• The couple's daughter, Iris Haggai Liniado, thanked the Israeli military, the FBI, and the Israeli and US governments for their efforts in recovering the bodies.
• The couple has two sons, two daughters, and seven grandchildren surviving them.

Statistics:

• 2 Israeli-American hostages were taken by Hamas in the 7 October 2023 attack.
• The remains of Weinstein and Haggai were recovered overnight from Khan Younis.
• Nasser Hospital reported at least 10 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis on Wednesday night.
• Three local reporters were killed and six people were wounded in a strike on the courtyard of the alAhli Hospital in Gaza City.

Sources:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• Kibbutz Nir Oz.
• Gaza's Health Ministry.
• Nasser Hospital.
• Facebook post by Iris Haggai Liniado.