Israel Recovers Bodies of Two Hostages After Special Operation in Gaza

The remains of Israeli hostages Gadi Haggai and Judith Weinstein-Haggai were recovered during a nighttime operation on Wednesday (June 4, 2025), conducted by IDF special forces in collaboration with the Shin Bet security service. Hamas had abducted and held the bodies of the two victims in Gaza following their murder on October 7, 2023, at Kibbutz Nir Oz. Their deaths were confirmed in December 2023. According to ‘Times of Israel,’ the Palestinian organization Taxarchies Mujahedeen, responsible for abducting and killing Sara Bibo and her children Ariel and Kfir, was also holding the Hagai couple. The rescue operation was led by the Southern Command of the IDF. Following identification at the National Forensic Center, in cooperation with Israeli police, the IDF Personnel Directorate’s Hostage and Missing Persons Unit informed the family and community of Nir Oz. Both Gadi, 72, and Judith, 70, held American citizenship, with Judith also possessing Canadian citizenship. They left behind four children and seven grandchildren. Judith Haggai, a professor specializing in special needs children, worked with kids suffering from anxiety. She was a poet, entrepreneur, and dedicated advocate for peace and brotherhood. In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed condolences and vowed that Israel would not rest until all hostages, living or dead, are returned.