Early this morning, Israeli authorities informed the family of Lior Rudaeff that his body had finally been brought back to Israel. The news came after forensic experts completed the identification process, confirming that the remains transferred by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad late Friday night were indeed those of the beloved Nir Yitzchak defender.
Rudaeff, 61, was killed on the morning of October 7, 2023, while heroically defending Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak from a brutal onslaught by Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists. His body was then seized and taken to Gaza by the attackers. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Lior left behind his wife, Yaffa; their children, Noam, Nadav, Bar, and Ben; grandchildren; his father, Giora; and siblings, Idit and Doron.
In recognition of his bravery during the Hamas-led massacre, Rudaeff was posthumously elevated to the rank of warrant officer in the reserves, as were other members of Israel’s civil defense squads who gave their lives in defense of their communities that day.
“The Israeli government shares in the deep sorrow of the Rudaeff family and of all the families of the fallen hostages,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. The statement further declared that Israel is “determined, committed and working tirelessly” to bring home the remaining five bodies of slain hostages still being held in Gaza, and stressed that Hamas is “required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement.”
On Friday night, Hamas and Islamic Jihad handed Rudaeff’s remains to the Red Cross, which then delivered them to Israeli soldiers operating in Gaza. Following an inspection and a brief ceremony led by a military rabbi, the casket, draped in an Israeli flag, was escorted to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for official identification. Neither terror organization disclosed whose remains had been returned at the time of transfer.
Rudaeff became the 23rd hostage to be returned deceased since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, which paused the fighting that began after Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 invasion that left 1,200 Israelis murdered and 251 taken hostage. When the truce began, Hamas was still holding 48 captives—20 alive and 28 dead—and was obligated to return all within 72 hours. Though the surviving hostages have since been released, Israel continues to accuse Hamas of deliberately delaying the repatriation of the remaining bodies.
In line with the exchange agreement, following the identification of Rudaeff’s body, Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, according to Nasser Hospital officials in Khan Younis.
On that fateful morning two years ago, Rudaeff was preparing to go on a motorcycle ride to the Ramon Crater when he received an urgent call summoning him to join the kibbutz’s emergency squad. Without hesitation, he geared up and took his position with fellow civil defense members at the entrance of Nir Yitzchak. When terrorists breached the fence, Rudaeff opened fire, preventing further infiltration. Witnesses said he also thwarted an attempt by terrorists to seize the body of a fallen comrade.
In the chaos of battle, Rudaeff radioed that he had been wounded and sent a final message of love to his wife and children. After that, all contact was lost. His death was officially confirmed by the IDF in May 2024.
“After 763 days of nightmare, he came home,” wrote his daughter, Noam, on social media, sharing a photo of her father. “Now you are home, now you are here.” She added, “Thank you to all the good people who stood with us in our uncompromising and humane fight to return him and all the hostages home.”
The Hostage Families Forum issued a statement mourning alongside the Rudaeffs: “The families of the hostages and the returned are embracing the family of Lior Rudaeff at this time, as their beloved Lior of blessed memory was returned to Israel today for proper burial.” The forum added, “Alongside the grief and the understanding that their hearts will never be whole, Lior’s return provides some measure of comfort to a family that has lived with agonizing uncertainty and doubt for over two years. We will not rest until the last hostage is brought home.”
Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak expressed deep sorrow at the closing of this painful chapter, emphasizing how Rudaeff’s bravery saved countless lives that day. “Exactly two years and a month ago, he left his home for the last time to protect his family and the place that had been his home all his life. Thanks to his courage and resourcefulness, a greater disaster was averted – but he paid for it with his life,” the kibbutz wrote. “Lior was a man of the land, family and community. A volunteer, neighbor and true friend who was always there for everyone. The entire Nir Yitzchak community grieves Lior’s passing and lovingly embraces his beautiful wife, his children, his grandchildren and all the family members at this difficult and heartbreaking moment of closing a circle.”
Born in Argentina, Lior was the middle of three children. He immigrated to Israel with his family on his seventh birthday and grew up in Nir Yitzchak, just miles from the Gaza border. He attended local schools and Ma’ale Habesor High School before serving in the IDF’s anti-aircraft unit. After marrying Yaffa in 1985, the couple built their life together in the kibbutz, where they raised their family and later welcomed grandchildren.
Throughout his life, Rudaeff was known for his energy and work ethic. From age 12, he could be found repairing vehicles in the kibbutz workshop. Over time, he earned licenses to operate nearly every kind of vehicle and shared his knowledge by teaching young kibbutz members to drive tractors and forklifts. For nearly two decades, he worked as a traffic safety officer for a transport company. He also dedicated four decades to the kibbutz security team and volunteered as a Magen David Adom ambulance driver for about 25 years.
{Matzav.com}
Despite reports from Hamas claiming to have found the body of IDF officer Lt. Hadar Goldin in Rafah, there remains no clarity regarding whether, or when, the terror group plans to hand over his remains to Israel. The statement, aired through Al Jazeera, ignited both hope and confusion, as Israeli officials initially anticipated that the transfer might occur Saturday night—but the militant group has since gone silent.
In an apparent act of psychological manipulation, Hamas earlier released footage through Al Jazeera purporting to show its operatives at a tunnel entrance alongside Red Cross representatives. The video depicted them extracting a bag seemingly containing a body, to which they attached a label reading “Hadar Golden” in Hebrew, English, and Arabic before removing it from the site.
As speculation grew, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir personally visited the Goldin family at their home Saturday night to brief them on the situation and share the information available to the army.
“The Chief of Staff met this evening with the Goldin family and updated them on the details known to the IDF at this time. This meeting comes in the context of the close relationship the Chief of Staff has maintained with the family over many years. The Chief of Staff reaffirmed his personal commitment and the IDF’s commitment to bringing Hadar and all fallen hostages home, and emphasized the importance of restraint during these sensitive moments, until his return and the completion of all necessary checks and verifications are completed,” the IDF said in an official statement.
The Goldin family, in turn, expressed both hope and resolve in their public message. “An entire nation is waiting for Hadar to be returned to us. This is a mission that must and can be accomplished, for all of us. The IDF Chief of Staff came after the conclusion of Shabbat to update us on the tremendous efforts underway to secure the release of the hostages, and we salute everyone involved in this national mission. We are awaiting official confirmation that Hadar has returned to Israel. In this country, we never give up on anyone, ever. We ask everyone to remain calm. Until it is final, it is not over.”
For now, uncertainty lingers as Israel continues to verify Hamas’s claim. The long-awaited return of Lt. Goldin—whose body has been held in Gaza since Operation Protective Edge in 2014—remains an unfinished chapter in the painful story of Israel’s missing soldiers.
{Matzav.com}
