"With antisemitism growing, we need to look for unity ... we have one country to defend and one people, and to do so means bringing everyone back home,” said the grandson of Oded Lifshitz, who died in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
When I stood at the Gama junction next to Re’im, the first place where as Israelis we could see the trucks with the coffins pass, it was very emotional. I understood why they had to come back,” Daniel Lifshitz told JNS on Friday.
The remains of his grandfather Oded Lifshitz were returned to Israel from the Gaza Strip last month as part of a ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terrorist organization.
Oded was laid to rest in Kibbutz Nir Oz on Feb. 25.
“It would have been like a very strong voice in my head that could have stayed forever if my grandfather had not come back,” he added.
On Oct. 7, five Hamas terrorists broke into the safe room where Oded and his wife, Yocheved, were sheltering in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Oded was shot in the hand and lost consciousness, while Yocheved was pulled from her bed. Both were taken to Gaza as hostages.
Yocheved was freed along with Nurit Cooper about two weeks after being captured. Nurit’s husband, Amiram Cooper, was killed in Hamas captivity.