Hagar, aged 40, along with her children Ofri, 10, Yuval, 10, and Oriya Brodetz, 4, were released on November 26 as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel. Their abduction took place on October 7 when Hamas terrorists attacked their Kfar Aza home.
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During the assault, Avihai Brodetz, the husband and father, defended the kibbutz while his family sought refuge in their sealed room. Upon returning wounded and finding his family missing, he initially believed they were dead. Days later, he learned from the kibbutz that they were alive but had been abducted by Hamas gunmen, along with Avigail Idan, the three-year-old daughter of slain neighbors Roee and Smadar Idan.
Avihai Brodetz expressed relief upon discovering that his family was alive but abducted to Gaza, referring to it as winning the lottery. Ofri Brodetz celebrated her 10th birthday in Gaza, while Avihai became an active advocate for the safe return of all hostages. He protested outside the Defense Ministry offices in Tel Aviv, holding a sign that read, “My family was taken to Gaza.”
In interviews, Avihai emphasized the vulnerability of their situation, attributing the abduction to the lack of military defense. He criticized the absence of protection, stating that Hamas took advantage of the situation and called for stronger measures to safeguard against such incidents.
