‘Laid to rest in a grave dug by the Prime Minister’

Israeli-Danish hostage Itzik Elgarat, who was murdered while in Hamas captivity, was buried in Kibbutz Nir Oz on Monday following a stormy funeral with eulogies bitterly critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We failed. We did not do enough. Netanyahu defeated us and you did not return from captivity. The enemy who caused your death is not who kidnapped you, but rather who abandoned you,” said Elgarat’s brother, Danny. “You successfully survived the abduction, the captors and the injury for many months. In the end, your prime minister overpowered you by torpedoing [hostage negotiations] and neglect.”

He added, “Itzik, you, who were responsible for digging the graves at the Nir Oz cemetery, were spared from digging tens of graves in the holocaust of Nir Oz. You are laid to rest in a grave dug up by the Prime Minister.”

“A state that neglected you and torpedoed the possibility of bringing you back alive by redeeming captives is not a Jewish state anymore. I have failed and I take full responsibility for it. Netanyahu defeated me in the battle for your life and the life of the rest of the deceased. He wants his regime alive more than he wanted you alive,” Elgarat said. “I promise you that we shall win in the fight for the country.”

Thousands of Israelis lined the funeral procession as the body was brought from Rishon LeZion to the kibbutz.

Eulogies were also delivered by his brother sister, Rachel Danzig, who survived the October 7, 2023 attack, other relatives, and Yair Golan, head of The Democrats party.

Elgarat, who was 69, is survived by two children.

At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.