Israeli hostage to be buried for third time after Hamas releases further body parts
The remains were handed over instead of one of the 13 remaining hostage bodies still held by Hamas; Netanyahu to hold security meeting over terror group's violations
A hostage family is being subjected to reburying their loved one, Ofir Tzarfati, for a third time, after forensic investigations confirmed that remains handed over by Hamas on Monday night belonged to him rather than one of the remaining 13 deceased hostages.
Ofir, who attended the Nova festival to celebrate his 27th birthday, was abducted into Gaza by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and was subsequently murdered by the terrorist group. Part of his remains were recovered by the IDF in Gaza in December 2023, and were buried at that point.
In March 2024, additional remains of Ofir were returned for burial in Israel. In August of that year, Hamas published a photograph of his body.
On Monday, Ofir Tzarfati’s family said they were shown eyewitness video of Hamas digging a hole in Gaza, bringing their son’s remains there, burying them, and then calling the Red Cross to witness the apparent retrieval, in what was described as “despicable” manipulation by the terror group.
Times of Israel reports that Israel Army Radio said that the entire incident was filmed by a military drone.
In a statement released via the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, the Tzarfati family said: “We went to sleep last night with anticipation and hope that another family would close an agonising two-year circle and bring their loved one home for burial. But once again, deception has been inflicted upon our family as we try to heal. This morning we were shown video footage of our beloved son’s remains being removed, buried, and handed over to the Red Cross – an abhorrent manipulation designed to sabotage the deal and abandon the effort to bring all the hostages home.
“This is the third time we have been forced to open Ofir’s grave and rebury our son. The circle supposedly ‘closed’ back in December 2023, but it never truly closes. Since then, we have lived with a wound that constantly reopens, between memory and longing, between bereavement and mission.
“Our Ofir went to Nova to celebrate his birthday and never returned. We ask all the people of Israel not to forget the fallen, not to forget the hostages, and to continue supporting the families until their return and beyond -only then will we have a future. Only then can we continue to live in our country.”
The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Following the completion of the identification process this morning, it was found that last night, remains belonging to abducted fallen soldier Ofir Tzarfati – of blessed memory, who was returned from the Gaza Strip in a military operation about two years ago – were returned.
“His family has been notified. This constitutes a clear violation of the agreement by the Hamas terrorist organisation. Prime Minister Netanyahu will hold a security discussion with the heads of the security establishment to discuss Israel’s steps in response to the violations.”
In their own statement, The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters in Israel said:
“Regarding Hamas’s violations, its despicable actions, cynical manipulation of the hostages, and deception of the Red Cross – the hostages’ families are demanding an immediate meeting with the Prime Minister.
“In light of Hamas’s severe breach of the agreement last night, and reports of documented evidence showing Hamas has been deceiving and fabricating information during the hostage location process – the families are demanding an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister.
“Hamas’s repeated violations and the IDF’s documentation prove what we have known and stated clearly and unequivocally: Hamas knows the location of the hostages and continues to act with contempt, deceiving the United States and mediators while dishonouring our loved ones. The Israeli government cannot and must not ignore this, and must act decisively against these violations.
“We are demanding an urgent and immediate meeting with the Prime Minister today, in which he will present a comprehensive plan to bring our loved ones home – every last one of them.
“Returning all hostages is the state’s obligation and a moral imperative – Hamas cannot be given a pass for violating the agreement. Success in implementing this agreement will be measured solely by the return of every last hostage – the people of Israel will not leave anyone behind and will accept nothing less.”
Hamas continues to hold the bodies of 13 hostages.
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