Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel declared this Thursday that the remains of two Israeli-American hostages, previously held by Hamas, have been successfully retrieved and returned to the country by the Israeli forces.
Judy Weinstein-Hagi, 70, and Gadi Hagi, 72, were a couple residing in the kibbutz Nir Oz, located near the Gaza border. The couple held dual citizenship of the United States and Israel, with Judy also possessing Canadian citizenship.
Their remains were discovered in the Khan Younis zone of the southern Gaza Strip, following a special operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet as it’s commonly known. This information comes from the official statement publicized by Prime Minister Netanyahu.
According to reliable sources, the couple met their death during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, with their bodies subsequently abducted. The Israel Defense Forces had previously concluded that their demise coincided with the day of the surprise attack by the terror group, Kitab al-Mujahidin, which also kidnapped and killed Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas and her two young offspring.
Prime Minister Netanyahu stated, “We will not rest or be silent until we return all of our abductees home — the living and the dead alike.” As of now, there are still fifty-six hostages held captive in Gaza, with twenty of them presumed to be alive, according to data from the prime minister’s office. Among the thirty-six hostages thought to be deceased are two Americans — Itay Chen and Omer Neutra.
As we continue to monitor this situation, we are reminded of the ongoing threat posed by international conflicts and the importance of diplomatic efforts to resolve them.
