"We have no interest in speaking with the person responsible for Carmel's death or in being part of his media circus. We will not allow him to use us as justification or legitimacy for the murder of the next hostage. The blood of the hostages is on his hands," Carmel Gat's family said in response to a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet with the families of the hostages found dead in Gaza.
"We did not do enough to save our Carmel. We ask that for the memory of Carmel and for the rescue of the hostages still in captivity - take to the streets and shut down the country until everyone comes home," the family added.
Carmet Gat was held hostage by Hamas in Gaza for nearly 11 months, when the IDF discovered her body along with six additional hostages in a tunnel in Rafah.
While in captivity, Carmel Gat taught other hostages yoga and meditation to help them survive captivity, released hostages held with her said after they returned to Israel.Gat, a 40-year-old master’s student studying occupational therapy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was killed by Hamas in captivity shortly before the IDF arrived at the site, the army said Sunday.
Gat’s body was discovered alongside the bodies of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Ori Danino.
Carmel Gat on October 7
Gat was staying at her parent’s home in Kibbutz Beeri on October 7 when Hamas attacked southern Israel.“Please let it be that you saw and heard us,” said Gat’s cousin Gil Dickmann on Sunday. “Even though you saw the terrible murder of your mother Kinneret, please let it be that you found out that your father, Eshel, brothers Alon and Or, your sister-in-law Yarden, and niece Geffen survived.“Please let it be that you saw your friends fighting to bring you back alive.”“Please let it be that you didn’t hear the prime minister say that the Philadelphi Corridor is more important than your life and the lives of the other hostages. I can only imagine how much rage that filled you with.”Released hostages described Gat as their “guardian angel,” the Hostage Family Forum said.Gat was an occupational therapist, full of compassion and love, always finding ways to support and help others. She loved solo travel, meeting new people, live rock music concerts, and was particularly fond of Radiohead, the forum said.Her family said, “We have no interest in speaking with the person responsible for Carmel’s death or in being part of his media circus. We will not allow him to use us as justification or legitimacy for the murder of the next hostage. The blood of the hostages is on his hands,” Gat’s family said in response to a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet with the families of the hostages found dead in Gaza.“We did not do enough to save our Carmel. We ask that for the memory of Carmel and for the rescue of the hostages still in captivity – take to the streets and shut down the country until everyone comes home.”