The daughter of murdered Israeli hostage Manny Godard, whose body is held in Gaza, said on Saturday that the military had recently tried and failed to recover his body in an operation in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces then confirmed the matter.
Godard, 73, and his wife Ayelet, 63, were murdered by terrorists in their home in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023. Manny’s body was taken to Gaza.
Speaking at the weekly rally of hostages’ families in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, Bar Godard said that on Monday, rumors began circulating that her father’s body had been recovered in a mission.
“I started shaking and my mind raced,” she said.
The IDF officer who had accompanied the family since the massacre then told her he was on his way to their house.
“I thought that in a moment he’d come and tell me that dad’s here. But the minute he opened the door, I understood: Dad’s not here,” she recounted.
“He told of a daring operation and brave soldiers who tried to bring Dad back. He said they managed to extract a refrigerator from an Islamic Jihad post with findings related to dad,” she said. “But he said the operation was unsuccessful.”
The officer then told her, “I’m so sorry,” she said.
Manny Godard (Courtesy)
Shortly after Godard’s speech, the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed the operation in a joint statement. They said troops operating in southern Gaza’s Rafah recovered findings belonging to Manny Godard.
The findings found at the post were taken to Israel and identified by the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute as belonging to Godard’s body, but his body remains in Gaza, they said. His family was updated on the developments.
Bar Godard commended the officer who came to her home for “facing me and taking responsibility,” while adding, “I couldn’t help but think of another person who, since October 7, has not taken responsibility for anything” — a reference to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“How many things could have been different if he’d only taken responsibility, if he’d only sent out unifying messages, if he’d only risen up to the moment, set politics aside and brought everyone home,” she said. “If only he’d dare to come to Nir Oz or Be’eri and look us in the eyes.”
Ayelet and Manny Godard (Courtesy)
Insisting that “there is no way to end this inhuman situation other than through a deal,” Godard then made a direct appeal to Netanyahu and IDF chief Eyal Zamir.
“We, the Godard family, demand that you not send any soldiers to risk themselves to bring back our father’s body,” she said. “We will not allow any other family to become bereaved to bring him back.
“Bibi, take responsibility like our officer and bring a deal. A deal that will strengthen and unify the people. And afterwards, go home.”
Tens of thousands of people rallied in Tel Aviv and throughout Israel on Saturday night to demand the return of Gaza hostages and to protest against government efforts to weaken the judiciary and fire key gatekeepers.
A poll aired Friday by Channel 12 showed that 69 percent of Israelis support ending the war in exchange for a deal that releases all remaining hostages in Gaza, compared to 21% who oppose such an agreement. Even among coalition voters, a majority (54%) back such a move compared to 32% who oppose it.
Terror groups in the Gaza Strip still hold 59 hostages, including 58 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023.
They include the bodies of at least 35 confirmed dead by the IDF. Hamas released 30 hostages — 20 Israeli civilians, five soldiers, and five Thai nationals — and the bodies of eight slain Israeli captives during a ceasefire between January and March.
Noam Lehmann contributed to this report.
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