FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 28, 2023
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DAY 9 OF HAMAS REFUSING TO RELEASE WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND ELDERLY HOSTAGES FOR TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE: SECOND U.S. CITIZEN MURDERED
On December 20th, Hamas Rejected Israel’s Offer of Weeklong Ceasefire in Return for Releasing Women, Children, and Elderly Hostages Held by Hamas
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After nine days of Hamas refusing to release women, children, and elderly hostages in exchange for a weeklong pause in fighting, a second American citizen it held captive has been murdered by the terrorist organization.
Judy Weinstein, 70, is believed to have been shot on October 7 and died in Hamas custody. Her body is still being held in Gaza, as reported by The Jerusalem Post and confirmed by the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum and Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Judy’s husband, Gadi Haggai, 73, was killed on October 7 and also taken hostage in Gaza by Hamas. The couple was on their daily morning walk when gunfire and explosions began in their kibbutz.
Judy was a mother of four, a grandmother of seven, and an active community member of Kibbutz Nir Oz who dedicated her life to serving others, spending years teaching English and using her passions for poetry, puppeteering, and mindfulness to empower children of all backgrounds.
Key Excerpts
- Kibbutz Nir Oz announced the death of Judy Weinstein Haggai, 70, on Thursday, who was killed by Hamas on October 7, and her body is still being held by the terrorist organization in Gaza.
- Judy was 70 years old, and a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz. Mother of four, grandmother of seven. She was an English teacher specializing in children with special needs and worked with children with anxiety by using meditation and mindfulness methods. She was a poet and entrepreneur, and was dedicated to working for peace and brotherhood, the kibbutz said.
- Judy’s husband, Gadi Haggai, 72, was also murdered on October 7, and his body is also still in the hands of Hamas. The two were attacked while they were on a walk that morning in the kibbutz.
- The kibbutz stated that Gadi was “a sharp person, a gifted musician from the age of three, a chef and a follower of a healthy vegan diet.”
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