Hamas returned to Israel findings related to Ofir Tzarfati, who was kidnapped on October 7 from the 'Nova' party in Ra'im and murdered in captivity.
His body was returned to Israel in November 2023, but last night Hamas transferred additional remains to Israel.
The Prime Minister's Office announced this afternoon that "after completing the identification process this morning, it was found that last night, artifacts belonging to the abducted soldier, the late Ofir Sarfati, who was returned from the Gaza Strip in a military operation about two years ago, were returned. A message was delivered to his family. This is a clear violation of the agreement by the Hamas terrorist organization.".
Ofir Tzarfati came to the Nova Festival to celebrate his birthday with his partner Shoval and his friends. He was kidnapped by Hamas, where he was murdered. His body was returned to Israel on November 30, 2023.
In March 2024, additional remains were brought for burial, and in August of that year, a picture of his body was published by Hamas.
The Tzarfati family said: "We went to bed tonight expecting and hoping that another family would close a two-year torturous circle and return their loved one to burial. But once again, a deception was made on our family, which is trying to recover. This morning, we were shown the video in which the remains of our beloved son are being removed, buried, and the Red Cross is being called - a despicable manipulation designed to torpedo the deal and abandon the return of all the kidnapped.".
The family added: "This is the third time we have been forced to open Ophir's grave and rebury our son. The circle supposedly 'closed' in December 2023, but it never really closed. Since then, we have been living with the wound that keeps opening, between memory and longing, between bereavement and mission.".
""Our Ofiri 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 kidnapped, and to continue supporting the families until their return and even after - only in this way will we have a future. Only in this way can we continue to live in our country.".
The coffin with the findings crossed the border from the Gaza Strip last night and was transported, accompanied by police forces, to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir, where an identification procedure took place.
In response to Hamas' violations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a security meeting with the heads of the security establishment at 2:00 PM, during which possible response measures will be discussed. Among the options that will be examined are limiting humanitarian aid, taking over additional areas in Gaza, and targeted attacks against senior Hamas figures.
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