On Thursday afternoon, Rita Lifshitz and her family were told that her father -in -law was one of the dead from hostage that Hamas handed over earlier in the day.
– It was hard in my heart because I was the one who had the great hope that my father -in -law is alive, I had hope until an hour ago that it might not be his body that lay in this coffin, says Rita Lifshitz when SVT News talks to her shortly after the message.
Oded and his wife Yocheved were kidnapped by Hamas from Kibbutzen Nir Oz on October 7, 2023. 17 days later, Yocheved was one of the first out of hostage to be released. However, Oded remained hostage in Gaza.
– It feels very difficult that it has been so long that Israel and the whole world could not help us get our kidnapped family members from the Gaza Strip, says Rita.
A peace fighter
Oded turned 84 years old, he worked as a journalist and reported, among other things, the divide between Israel and Palestine.
Rita, who grew up in Gothenburg, describes Oded as a peace fighter who stood for human rights and says that he took children from Gaza to hospital in Israel every week.
– It felt a little hard, but it’s just to continue and he was a real peace fighter, a true friend of the Palestinian people, says Rita.
She says that she is now filled with disappointment, both on the Israeli state and Hamas, but also that he just fought for peace got the fate he got.
– I am disappointed with the Israeli government, I am disappointed in the world and I am disappointed with Hamas Terror, says Rita.
Kibbutzen nir oz one of the worst affected in October 7
Kibbutzen was one of the worst affected during October 7 and several other of the residents were kidnapped at the same time as Oded and his wife.
– We are mourning our kidnapped who have been murdered and we still have many kidnapped, says Rita.
Now work continues to bring home the others from Kibbutzen who were kidnapped.
– We have to get everyone home in order for us to rebuild our society, says Rita.
The UN has criticized Hamas’s approach to the handover of the remains. Volket Türk, UN Human Rights Manager calls the “paraduation” of the coffins “disgusting”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he and Israel are “furious over Hamas Monster”.