Bodies of victims, previously held captive in Gaza, are interred in Israel
Israel Mourns the Death of Ilan Weiss and Idan Shtivi
Ilan Weiss, a 55-year-old man, and Idan Shtivi, a 28-year-old student, were laid to rest this week following their tragic deaths in a militant attack in October 2023.
The attack, led by the Islamist terrorist group Hamas, took place during the Nova music festival. Shtivi was a volunteer photographer at the event. The bodies of Weiss and Shtivi were returned from Gaza to Israel on Friday.
Weiss was buried in kibbutz Beeri, in southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, while Shtivi was laid to rest in Kfar Maas in central Israel. Mourners gathered around Shtivi's casket, which was draped in an Israeli flag.
Dalit, Shtivi's mother, spoke in her eulogy about a "divine bond" with her son. She also expressed her regret for not being able to protect and keep Idan safe. Weiss's wife, Shiri, and daughter, Noga, were released in November 2023 during a truce.
The Israeli military recovered the bodies of Weiss and Shtivi in a "complex rescue operation," but the details of the operation have not been specified. The exact number of civilians among the 1,219 deaths caused by Hamas's October 2023 attack is not specified. However, the United Nations considers the figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reliable, and they show that at least 63,557 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel's retaliatory offensive.
As of the current information, 47 hostages seized during Hamas's 2023 attack are still being held in Gaza, including 25 who are believed to be dead. For nearly a year, Shtivi's family held onto hope that he was still alive.
This tragic event has once again highlighted the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the devastating impact it has on both sides. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families and friends of Weiss and Shtivi, as well as to all those affected by this conflict.
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