Families hope for return of hostages as attack continues

Israeli families have said waiting for their kidnapped dead to be returned home so they can bury them is like “being in limbo”.

Udi Goren’s cousin Tal Haimi, a 41-year-old father of three and resident of Kibbutz Nir Yikzhak, was killed on 7 October and his body brought back to Gaza.

Mr Goren told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that a funeral service was carried out for his cousin but because there was an empty coffin it was like burying dust.

“Because of the difficult circumstances, the Israeli general revenate has made it possible to have an official funeral even though the body itself is not there,” he said.

“We had the service but you know practically we buried dust. It’s an empty coffin. For me personally, it didn’t have much meaning aside from the service itself – you know, when we accept that Tal is not coming back and that he is dead.”

Mr Goren added: “But in order to really find closure and have some solace in this tragedy we need the body to be returned and buried on the kibbutz grounds.

“To me the struggle continues, the public campaign of bringing them back. We want to get the living hostages back as soon as possible, so their lives are spared. The ones who are dead, being in limbo, this uncertainty is excruciating.”

Israeli troops seized control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt yesterday after launching an invasion into the eastern sector of the city.

The United Nations and the United States both condemned the closure of the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, which are a lifeline for civilians facing famine in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the crossings into Gaza to be reopened immediately and urged Israel to “stop any escalation” after it sent tanks into Rafah.

However, Mr Goren claims Israeli operations in Rafah are essential to put pressure on Hamas so a ceasefire deal can be secured – along with the release of hostages, and eventually the repatriation of dead Israeli civilians.

He said he expects the Israeli government to “do everything in their power to bring back every hostage, dead or alive. And it’s absolutely their duty”.

Mr Goren added: “We are dealing with a terrorist organisation and using force in order to make sure that a deal is brokered, and the hostages are released.

“We’ve been waiting for three months. The past three months, we haven’t gone into Rafah. There were talks the whole time, but nothing came to fruition.”

“Perhaps this last strike is what is going to make Hamas fearful. For example, if we hit the southern border and cut them off from Egypt, where many of the smuggling tunnels are, maybe that would be the final blow,” Mr Goren said.

“Then they would realise, alright, now it’s time for a deal. Now it’s time for a ceasefire.

“I hope that if the Israeli Government has waited for so long to get into Rafah, then it’s because they do realise that getting the hostages out is the primary goal,” said Mr Goren.

He added that he is “extremely fearful that the more that the war continues” hostages and the remains of dead hostages could be lost.