Israel Recovers Bodies of American-Israeli Couple Killed by Hamas in October 7 Massacre

In a solemn but defiant announcement Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of two American-Israeli citizens murdered and taken by Hamas during the terror group’s brutal October 7 attack.

Judy Weinstein-Hagi, 70, and Gadi Hagi, 72, were found in the ruins of Khan Younis in southern Gaza during a high-risk recovery operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet intelligence agency. The couple had lived in Nir Oz, a peaceful kibbutz near the Gaza border, until their lives were cut short by Hamas gunmen during the worst attack on Israel in its modern history.

“Judy and Gadi were slaughtered in their home and dragged into Gaza by bloodthirsty terrorists,” Netanyahu said in a national address. “We promised to bring them back — and we have. We will not rest until every one of our people, dead or alive, is returned.”

The Hagi couple were dual U.S.-Israeli citizens. Judy also held Canadian citizenship. Both were grandparents, peace advocates, and longtime members of their border community. Their village, Nir Oz, suffered catastrophic losses on October 7, when hundreds of heavily armed militants stormed into Israel, murdering families in their homes and taking hostages into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

According to Israeli intelligence, the Hagis were killed the same day by members of the al-Mujahidin Brigade — a Hamas-linked faction also responsible for the murder of Israeli mother Shiri Bibas and her two toddlers. The bodies of all five victims were dragged into Gaza as propaganda trophies.

The IDF has been slowly working through intelligence gathered in the rubble of northern Gaza to track down hostages, both living and dead. Thursday’s recovery marks a painful but important victory in Israel’s ongoing mission to repatriate the victims of October 7.

So far, 56 hostages remain unaccounted for in Gaza. Of those, Israel believes just 20 are still alive. Two American citizens — Itay Chen and Omer Neutra — are among the 36 believed to have died in captivity.

The United States has consistently backed Israel’s right to defend itself following the attacks, which left over 1,200 Israelis dead — including women, children, and elderly civilians — in what many observers described as a modern-day pogrom. President Trump, who has long supported Israel’s security needs, called Hamas’ actions “pure evil” and “an act of war against civilization.”

Back in Tel Aviv, protests continue over the Israeli government’s handling of the hostage crisis. But Netanyahu stood firm, vowing to keep the pressure on Hamas.

“There is no ceasefire without the return of our hostages,” he stated. “This is not just about Israeli lives. Americans are being held by terrorists. This is a global fight.”

The U.S. State Department has not commented on the recovery operation but continues to urge Hamas to release all remaining hostages unconditionally. Calls are growing louder among conservative lawmakers in Congress to formally designate Hamas as a transnational criminal organization — a move that would trigger expanded U.S. counterterrorism authority.

As Israel’s war against Hamas enters its ninth month, the discovery of Judy and Gadi Hagi offers closure to one grieving family, but also sharpens the focus on the dozens still trapped in Gaza — and the global stakes of confronting terror head-on.