NY native held hostage in Gaza has been killed — Hamas terrorists still holding body
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A New York native who was being held captive by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip has been killed, and her body is still being held by the terrorists, it was confirmed Thursday.
Judi Weinstein Haggai, 70, died as a result of injuries she sustained when terrorists invaded Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, the kibbutz announced.
She and her husband had been taking their usual walk outside the kibbutz when armed Hamas militants on motorcycles ambushed them that morning, relatives said.
News of her death comes just one week after officials confirmed her husband, Gadi Haggai, 73, was killed in captivity.
Weinstein, a native of Goshen in upstate New York, moved to Israel 30 years ago, seeking solace in the Jewish state — until Hamas’ surprise terror attack on Oct. 7 shattered their peaceful existence.
She worked as an English teacher who specialized in working with children with special needs and attention and concentration problems, according to Israel National News.
Weinstein also helped children who suffered from anxiety and depression due to living under the threat of rockets from Gaza.
Her family described her as a peaceful person — a vegan who wrote daily haikus, CNN reported.
But her world turned upside down during the Hamas terrorist attack, when Weinstein informed a kibbutz member she had been shot in the arm and was wounded in the face and Haggai had been shot in the head, according to Haaretz.
Shortly before the couple was believed to be taken hostage, Weinstein was also able to text her daughter in Singapore. A paramedic later told the couple’s children that she had called for medical help — but they lost contact with her.
“She said they were shot by terrorists on a motorcycle and that my dad was wounded really bad,” Iris Weinstein Haggai told the Times of Israel.
“Paramedics tried to send her an ambulance. The ambulance got hit by a rocket.”
The family had not heard from the elderly couple since.
“We know that they were badly wounded. We know that [Weinstein] still had the phone with her to be able to call and ask for help and provide details. But ever since then, we lost all contact with them,” the couple’s niece, Ofri Haggai, 47, told The Post last month.
The phone was found hours later by the Israeli military — raising hope that the couple might have been among the more than 220 Israelis taken hostage during the brutal assault, instead of among those killed, she added.
Family members had pushed for Weinstein to be released, and initially thought she could be among the 50 women and children set free under a deal last month.
But she never came home, and was believed to be the last remaining American woman held hostage in the Gaza Strip. Six other American citizens, all men, also remain in captivity.
The Haggais leave behind four children and seven grandchildren.
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