Israeli-American Hostage Gadi Haggai Declared Dead, Wife Remains Captive

Israeli-American Gadi Haggai, 73 years old, was murdered by Hamas. Courtesy of family

On Friday, The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum announced that 73-year-old Israeli-American Gadi Haggai was murdered by Hamas.

Gadi and his wife Judi Weinstein, 70, were at the Kibbutz Nir Oz when they were abducted. Nir Oz was one of the hardest hit communities during the Hamas terror attacks against Israel on October 7.

In a statement, the kibbutz said Gadi, believed to have been wounded during the onslaught, was murdered while Judi remains hostage in Gaza.

The couple was on “their regular morning walk in the fields and vineyards” when Hamas kidnapped them.

The Forum shared, “Gadi was a man full of humor who knew how to make those around him laugh. A musician at heart, a gifted flutist, he played in the IDF Orchestra and was involved with music his whole life.”

“Judi managed to notify friends that they had been shot and that Gadi was critically injured — it was the last contact with them,” the Forum said.

Times of Israel reports:

Taking cover in a field, they could hear a recorded voice from an alert system for their kibbutz in southern Israel.

“What did she say?” Weinstein asked in Hebrew as she captured the scene on video.

“Red alert,” her 72-year-old husband said, referring to the warning for incoming rocket fire.

Weinstein shared the 40-second video clip in a group chat on October 7, when Hamas invaded Kibbutz Nir Oz during its terror onslaught, in the couple’s last contact with their family.

Gadi Haggai and his wife Judi Wenisten Image: Courtesy of family.

Later, the pair’s children were informed that Weinstein had called for medical help but that they had lost contact with her.

“She said they were shot by terrorists on a motorcycle and that my dad was wounded really bad,” said Iris Weinstein Haggai.

“Paramedics tried to send her an ambulance. The ambulance got hit by a rocket,” said Weinstein Haggai.

Before the news of Gadi’s death, his son shared pleas for the safe return of his parents.

Gadi was a father of four and grandfather of seven. His body is still being held captive in Gaza.

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