Hannah Katzir, taken captive by Hamas in the October 7, 2023 attack and released in the November 2023 hostage deal, died at the age of 76, Kibbutz Nir Oz announced on Tuesday.
"With great sorrow, we announce the passing of Kibbutz member Hannah Katzir following a prolonged struggle with complex medical issues after her release from captivity," the statement read.
Her funeral was held at Kibbutz Nir Oz on Tuesday afternoon.
Katzir's daughter spoke at the funeral, saying that she was sorry that she couldn't have come to free her sooner from Gaza. "I'm sorry that you were there in Gaza alone and that we couldn't have arrived to help you," her daughter said. "You suffered from so many losses this past year. Now you are freed to rest beside Dad."
Katzir was kidnapped to the Gaza Strip from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Her husband, Rami, was murdered during the massacre, and her son Elad was killed in captivity by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
Prior to her release, the PIJ had falsely claimed she was killed in a strike carried out by the Israel Air Force while being held in captivity.
Her daughter, Carmit, said in December last year that her mother returned from captivity “both heartbroken and with serious cardiological issues, including broken heart syndrome.”
Approximately two weeks after her release, her health deteriorated significantly, and she was hospitalized in critical condition.
Hannah had shared harrowing details of her abduction with her family. She was taken to Gaza violently, placed on a motorcycle, and fell off during the journey. Along the way, her captors threw stones and even candy at her. When she arrived, she spent several days alone.
“Those were the hardest days,” said Carmit. Later, Hannah joined other kibbutz members, but the conditions remained dire. “She was in terrible distress, and the treatment was shocking. They told them things like, ‘No one is waiting for you, there is no Israel, no kibbutz, no one wants you.'"
A woman with a 'whole heart'
Katzir is described by friends and family as being a woman with a "huge heart" who would always give to others.
"Mom was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a woman who embodied pure love. Her heart couldn’t withstand the unbearable pain since October 7. Each day our loved ones remain in captivity puts their lives at greater risk. We must act now to secure a comprehensive agreement to bring back all 100 of our brothers and sisters," Carmit said.
Katzir worked as a kindergarden teacher for many years in the kibbutz, and her acquaintances described her and her murdered husband, Rami, as "a dynamic duo, an inseparable couple."
The Hostage Families Headquarters issued a statement mourning Katzir’s passing: “We bow our heads with grief at the loss of former hostage Hannah Katzir, of blessed memory. She was abducted from her home in Nir Oz on October 7 and released after 49 days. Her husband, Rami, of blessed memory, was murdered in their safe room that day, and her son, Elad, of blessed memory, was taken alive, killed in captivity, and brought back for burial in Israel. We share the profound sorrow of the Katzir family.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also commented on Katzir's passing, saying, "my wife, Sara, and I mourn the passing of Hannah Katzir, a survivor of Hamas captivity, who passed away after a year-long struggle for her life."
"We succeeded in bringing Hannah back home after she was cruelly abducted by Hamas on October 7, but her body and soul carried the scars of the horrors until her final day."
"We embrace the Katzir family and remain committed to doing everything and continuing to work tirelessly until we bring all our hostages home."