Israeli cancer sufferer, 65, kidnapped by Hamas and found dead by IDF forces was ‘a warm and loving mother and grandmother’, heartbroken son says

A cancer patient kidnapped by Hamas and later found dead by Israeli forces was a “warm and loving mother and grandmother,” her son said in an emotional tribute.

Yehudit Weiss, 65, was being treated for breast cancer when she was snatched by Hamas thugs during the attacks on southern Israel on October 7.

Last week, her body, and that of 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano, was found in buildings next to Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital – a site Israel says is used as a Hamas control center.

In conversation with local media site Walla! her son Omer described how his mother’s body was recovered by Israeli Defense Forces soldiers in a dramatic operation.

He said: ‘The troops went in and tried to identify the body as quickly as possible.

“They arrived at a house near the hospital and found mother not alive, and she had been dead for at least two days.

“From what we understand, she died not because of her medical condition, but at the hands of murderers. It’s possible she was even kidnapped as a body.”

Ms. Weiss was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri and was among 239 people taken last month. Her body and that of Corporal Noa are the first to be recovered from Gaza.

Hamas has since released four hostages and claims it is not holding all the hostages, also claiming some were killed during Israeli military bombings or in panic attacks.

Ms. Weiss’ husband, Shmulik, was killed in the attack and the family was informed of the discovery of her body shortly after a memorial service for him.

In a statement on social media, Israeli authorities said: ‘We are devastated to share that the body of Yehudit Weiss, a 65-year-old Israeli woman, who was held hostage and murdered by Hamas, was found in a building nearby of the Al-Shifa building. Hopital.

‘Kalashnikov rifles and RPGs were also found in the structure. Yehudit was a cancer patient whose husband Shmulik was killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

“May the memory of Yehudit be a blessing.”

Omer said he and the family were informed of his mother’s death by police and social workers who arrived at a friend’s house after the memorial.

He added: ‘There is no information about father, the bodies were recovered under fire and he was probably murdered at home.

‘We didn’t know anything about mother either, they just said she had probably been kidnapped.

‘She was a warm and loving mother and grandmother. She had five children and five grandchildren. She was always busy with care.

‘She started as a kindergarten teacher and was a manager in the nursing field for elderly care.

‘She was 65 years old, retired, but her agenda was always full. One day a week with each grandchild. She always helped us with everything and kept the family together.’

Omer revealed that his parents had sent a desperate text message the morning of the attack, revealing that they hoped it was just a ‘short raid’.

He continued, “Then they said they heard non-stop gunshots, there was a bunch of terrorists in the kibbutz.

‘The last message came at 9.50am and she said the terrorists were hanging around outside the house.

‘A minute later another message came in saying: “They have come again, they are shooting at us, save us.”

Her funeral service will take place on Sunday in Netanya, north of Tel Aviv, and she will be buried together with her husband.