Biden says he’s “heartbroken” to learn Israeli-American was killed by Hamas

President Biden said he was “heartbroken” to learn that an Israeli American man who was thought to have been taken hostage by Hamas is now believed to have been killed by the terrorist organization in its Oct. 7 attack in Israel. 

Gad Haggai, 73, was long thought to have been among the roughly 100 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. But he was declared dead Friday and is believed to be a victim of the Oct. 7 attack. 

In a statement Friday, Mr. Biden expressed his condolences and reaffirmed his pledge to bring the remaining hostages home. 

“Jill and I are heartbroken by the news that American Gad Haggai is now believed to have been killed by Hamas on October 7. We continue to pray for the well-being and safe return of his wife, Judy,” Mr. Biden said, adding he “will not stop” until the hostages are released. 

The death was announced by Kibbutz Nir Oz, which said it concluded that Haggai was killed in the kibbutz on Oct. 7 and his body was taken to Gaza.

The statement did not say how his death had been determined, but confirmed that his wife, Judy, is among the hostages taken by Hamas. 

Nir Oz was among the hardest-hit communities on Oct. 7, losing about one-fourth of its residents.