Israel’s president begs forgiveness from hostage family over October 7 failures

Israeli President Isaac Herzog eulogizes slain hostage Yossi Sharabi at a funeral service held two weeks after Sharabi’s body was returned to Israel.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel’s president sought forgiveness during the funeral of a slain hostage on Monday from the victims of the Hamas invasion of October 7, 2023, families of the hostages, and residents of the Gaza frontier, lamenting Israel’s failures to prevent the attacks or to protect its citizens.

Mourners gathered Monday afternoon in Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the communities hardest hit during the October 7th invasion, to pay their last respects to Yossi Sharabi, a resident of the kibbutz who was killed after being taken into captivity in the Gaza Strip.

During the invasion, Hamas terrorists broke into Sharabi’s home, abducting Sharabi and his teenage daughter’s boyfriend, Ofir Angel. Eli Sharabi, Yossi’s brother, was also taken hostage during the attack and forced into the Gaza Strip.

In 2024, the Sharabi family was informed that Yossi had been killed while in captivity, likely in a building collapse following an airstrike.

While Eli Sharabi was returned to Israel as part of a hostage deal in February of this year, his brother’s remains were held by Hamas until the latest hostage agreement was reached earlier this month.

The funeral procession Monday was led by Eli and his brother Sharon, while President Isaac Herzog eulogized Yossi and begged forgiveness for the state’s failure to prevent the invasion or to protect residents of the Gaza frontier.

“In this painful and agonizing moment, as president of the State of Israel, on behalf of the State of Israel and the entire nation, I ask you — Yossi, the Sharabi family, and all of Kibbutz Be’eri — for forgiveness,” Herzog said.

“Forgive us, Yossi, for not saving you, and for not bringing you home sooner. Forgive us for failing to protect you on that cursed day. Forgive us for not standing by your side — against the monsters in human form. Forgive us that it took so long to bring you back to the landscape of your homeland.”

“Yossi’s goodness, his courage and nobility, his warmth and sweetness will remain with us always; and through their power and spirit, we will continue to repair, to rebuild, to spread light, and to cling with all our strength to life.”

Isaac HerzogYossi Sharabi