The household of a teenage Israeli soldier who spent greater than two years considering he could have survived the horrors of Oct. 7, 2023, solely discovered that he had died when his stays had been returned this week.
Tamir Nimrodi’s household had their worst fears confirmed Tuesday when the 18-year-old was one in every of three lifeless Israelis returned by Hamas — together with different stays that turned out to not be a hostage.
“That is the second that we so feared, the second I refused to consider would come,” Tamir’s father, Alon Nimrodi, informed Israel’s Channel 12 in an emotional interview.
Nimrodi beforehand had no affirmation that his son, who was kidnapped from a navy base through the Hamas atrocity, was lifeless, the Occasions of Israel reported.
“The entire time, I mentioned if there was a 0.01 probability, I might burn the world for Tamir to return residence alive and nicely,” the grieving dad mentioned. “However sadly, we acquired the information,” he mentioned.
Nimrodi’s father burdened simply how vital it was for the households of the remaining 21 deceased hostages to get related affirmation and stays.
“We, like each one of many hostage households, by no means had the flexibility to surrender or loosen up for even a single second,” he mentioned.
“For us, the journey resulted in a horrible manner — not like I had hoped — however there’s a lengthy wrestle forward for the discharge of 21 different hostages who’re within the Gaza Strip, and we should proceed to wrestle till all of them return residence,” he mentioned, at occasions by means of tears.
el lucky – which is a horrible factor to say about your individual son who was killed in Gaza, your eldest son who was kidnapped – however I imply to say that we’re fortunate to have acquired his physique again.”
Earlier than Nimrodi’s physique was returned Tuesday, Israeli officers had expressed “grave concern” about his possible survival, in response to the Occasions of Israel.
His was one in every of three our bodies returned to Israel Tuesday night time together with Eitan Levy and Uriel Baruch. A fourth physique was additionally handed over, however Israeli officers decided the stays didn’t belong to any of the hostages.
One other 4 our bodies had been returned and recognized Monday, hours after the 20 remaining residing hostages had been freed as a part of a US-backed cease-fire deal.
Nimrodi accomplished 10 months of his navy service earlier than he was kidnapped from a navy base and brought to Gaza on Oct. 7, in response to the Hostage Households Discussion board, a bunch representing lots of the hostages’ households.
He was simply 18 on the time.
“Tamir was not purported to be on base on October 7 however volunteered to remain for that weekend (which coincided with Simchat Torah) so his pals might have a good time the vacation at residence with their households,” the Hostage Household Discussion board mentioned.
Along with his father, Tamir leaves behind his mom Herut and siblings Ami and Mika.