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Bodies of two Israeli-American hostages recovered in southern Gaza

Thursday 05 June 2025 - 11:20
Bodies of two Israeli-American hostages recovered in southern Gaza
By: Dakir Madiha
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Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of two Israeli-American hostages, killed during the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, the military announced on Thursday.

Victims identified as Judi and Gadi Haggai

The victims, Judi Weinstein Haggai, aged 70 and also a Canadian citizen, and her husband Gadi Haggai, aged 72, were murdered by armed militants from the Mujahideen Brigades after being abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. The couple’s remains were discovered in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza and returned to Israel overnight, where they were formally identified through forensic procedures.

Ongoing hostage crisis

With this recovery, the number of remaining hostages held in Gaza drops to 56. At least 20 of them are believed to be alive. Families of the missing continue to press for international pressure to secure the release of those still detained. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has reiterated its call for sustained efforts to bring the remaining hostages home.

Rising pressure on hostage diplomacy

The recovery highlights the enduring humanitarian and political toll of the October attack and the subsequent war in Gaza. Israeli officials say efforts remain ongoing to locate and repatriate the remaining captives, amid military operations and mediation efforts by third-party governments.



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