Bodies of Israeli-American couple killed on October 7 recovered from Gaza

The bodies of Judith Weinstein Haggai and Gad Haggai, killed in the October 7 Hamas attack, have been returned to Israel after a special operation in Gaza. The couple, who lived in Nir Oz kibbutz, were killed during the initial cross-border assault.

After being held in Gaza for months, the bodies of Judih Weinstein Haggai and Gad Haggai, an Israeli-American couple killed in Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack, have been recovered and returned to Israel.

The recovery operation

According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the remains were recovered in a special operation conducted by the Israeli army and the Shin Bet internal security agency. Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the families, saying, "Our hearts ache for the most terrible loss. May their memory be blessed."

The couple's tragic death

Weinstein, 70, and Haggai, 72, were taking an early morning walk near their home in Nir Oz kibbutz when Hamas militants stormed across the border and attacked several army bases and farming communities. Weinstein managed to call emergency services and inform them of the attack, also sending a message to her family before succumbing to her injuries.

The couple's deaths were announced by the Nir Oz kibbutz in December 2023. The Israeli military confirmed that their bodies were recovered from the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.