Second American hostage in Gaza confirmed dead as Hamas holds body

A second U.S. citizen being held captive in Gaza was announced dead Thursday, and Israeli officials said she was actually murdered on Oct. 7 and Hamas has been holding her body captive ever since.

Kibbutz Nir Oz announced the death of resident Judi Weinstein Haggai, a 70-year-old New York native who was an English teacher who specialized in working with special needs children, according to Israeli and U.S. media reports. 

The kibbutz last week announced the death of her husband, Gadi Haggai, 73, who was also a U.S. citizen who was taken captive by Hamas. Officials believe he died after being wounded when Hamas took him captive on Oct. 7, per The Times of Israel.

Gadi Haggai's body is also being held in Gaza. 

The couple had been out for a walk the morning of Oct. 7, and their last contact with friends that day was a message about how they had been shot. 

Six Americans are still being held hostage by Hamas, including Itay Chen, 19; Edan Alexander, 19; Omer Neutra, 21; Sagui Dekel-Chen- 35; Hersh Goldberg Polin and Keith Samuel Siegel, according to Fox News.

When Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, terrorists kidnapped about 240 people and murdered approximately 1,200 others.

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