US President Joe Biden delivers a prime-time address to the nation about his approaches to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, humanitarian assistance in Gaza, and continued support for Ukraine in their war with Russia, from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, US, Oct. 19, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool

i24 News – US President Joe Biden said on Friday he was “heartbroken” by the news that an American named Gadi Haggai is believed to have been killed by Hamas on October 7 during the group’s attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Haggai, 73, an Israeli-American, was previously thought to have been taken hostage in the attack, along with his wife.

“Jill [Biden] and I are heartbroken by the news that American Gadi 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,” the US president said in a statement released by the White House.

Haggai’s wife Judith Weinstein Haggai, 70, is believed to be wounded and still held captivity in Gaza.

Haggai “will be remembered as a gifted man, with sharp intellect and a love for wind instruments. … He was a talented chef, and alongside his wife, Judi, he lived a healthy, active lifestyle,” stated his family.

“We mourn the loss of our father and grandfather, and we continue to hope and pray that his body will be returned to us and that Judi is still alive and we will be reunited soon,” read the family statement.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that between five and 10 of the hostages hold US citizenship.

129 people are believed to remain in the Hamas’s captivity in Gaza after the rest were repatriated in a November truce or recovered during a military offensive. Of those still in Gaza, 22 were killed, Israeli government says.