During his live coverage from Tel Aviv, Ripley shared the heartbreaking news of the death of 73-year-old Gadi Haggai, who had been taken hostage by Hamas terrorists alongside his wife, Judi. Ripley’s emotions became evident as he revealed the couple’s traumatic experience on October 7, where they were abducted, shot, and subsequently taken into Gaza. Judi Haggai managed to contact friends before their kidnapping.
Ripley continued his report, acknowledging the uncertainties surrounding Gadi’s death. He cited accounts from recently released hostages, describing a state of total information blackout, separation from loved ones, and harrowing experiences in underground tunnels amidst airstrikes. Expressing his own emotional response, Ripley drew a poignant parallel between Gadi’s age and that of his own parents, emphasizing the profound impact on families in Israel throughout the ongoing conflict.
Highlighting the broader context, the report mentioned that Haggai and his wife were kidnapped during the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, with Judi currently among the few female hostages still held by Hamas. Despite Israel’s attempt to negotiate a deal for a week-long pause in exchange for the release of 40 hostages, Hamas rejected the offer.
As of the latest information, an estimated 128 hostages are still held in Gaza, out of the 240 initially kidnapped during the October 7 attack. Notably, 105 Israeli civilians have been released, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the deaths of 21 hostages, recovering eight bodies. Tragically, three hostages were accidentally killed by the IDF in the Gaza Strip last week under distressing circumstances.
