A U.S. dual national who was among some 240 people seized during the Oct. 7 rampage by Hamas in southern Israel has died in captivity in the Gaza Strip, a group representing hostages’ families said on Friday.
Gadi Haggai, 73, also held Israeli citizenship, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said. Drawing on various information sources, an Israeli government-appointed committee has been declaring some hostages dead in absentia.
Hamas has generally not confirmed these accounts, but has warned that “time is running out” for the hostages as the Palestinian militants’ war with Israel nears its 12th week.
Haggai was the husband of Judith Weinstein Haggai, 70, who grew up in Canada and holds Canadian and American citizenship. Her whereabouts are not known.
Judih Weinstein Haggai’s family members fear she’s among the hostages being held by Hamas after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. They tell The National’s Adrienne Arsenault about what they know happened that day and what it’s like to wait for word about her fate as more hostages are released.
Relatives have spoken to CBC News about the couple, who went missing at the Nir Oz kibbutz.
“We know that Gadi, more than likely based on information that we have … was killed,” niece Ali Weinstein told The National late last month. “Judith, we know that she was shot, but we don’t know her condition.”
According to an official Israeli tally, 129 people are still held in Gaza, after the rest were repatriated in a November truce or recovered during a military offensive. Of those still in Gaza, 22 are dead, the Israeli government has said.
About 1,200 people were killed in the initial Hamas attack, according to Israeli tallies, including several Canadians.