Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday attended the funeral of hostage Yonatan Samerano, whose remains—along with those of two others—were recovered from the Gaza Strip during a military operation on June 21.
“On behalf of the State of Israel, I ask Yonatan—and with him, Ofra Keidar and [IDF Staff Sgt.] Shay Levinson of blessed memory—for forgiveness,” Herzog said in his eulogy.
“Forgiveness that the State of Israel did not protect you. Forgiveness that we did not manage to rescue you from the hands of the murderers. Forgiveness that it took so long to bring you back from the clutches of these human monsters,” the president continued.
He added that there can be no “true and complete victory” over Hamas until all hostages—“whether to the warm embrace of their families, or to be laid to rest in dignity”—are brought home.
“I swear here, in the name of the entire nation: there is no force on earth that will make us forget our tortured loved ones who remain there,” Herzog said.
“We are at a critical moment. Now is the time to continue acting with determination, creativity, and urgency—by every means and with all our strength—until they are brought home,” he concluded.
I stand here at the funeral of the late Yonatan Samerano, and as President of the State of Israel, on behalf of the State of Israel, I ask Yonatan—and with him, Ofra Keidar and Sergeant Shay Levinson of blessed memory– for forgiveness. Forgiveness that the State of Israel did not… pic.twitter.com/0YiVGygIPc
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) June 24, 2025
All three hostages were abducted and killed during Hamas’s cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
Following the operation that recovered their remains, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered condolences to the victims’ families, saying, “Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I send our deepest condolences to the dear families and share in their profound sorrow.”
He commended the commanders and soldiers who carried out the mission, highlighting their determination and courage.
“We will not rest until we bring all our abductees home—both the living and the fallen,” Netanyahu vowed.
Fifty hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip, with Israeli authorities estimating that at least 20 of them are still alive.
Yonatan is brought home after 625 days 💔
— Bring Them Home Now (@bringhomenow) June 22, 2025
Yonatan Mordechai Samerano was murdered while trying to escape to Kibbutz Be'eri from the Nova Music Festival on the morning of October 7th, 2023. He was abducted to Gaza by an UNRWA employee.
Yonatan, or “Yonti” as his friends and… pic.twitter.com/7qj4gfyy5L
Samerano was 21 on Oct. 7, 2023, when he was shot by Hamas terrorists and abducted by a U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) social worker.
He had been attending the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im with friends when the attack began. Attempting to escape, Yonatan fled to Kibbutz Be’eri, where he was shot.
Yonatan’s family pledged to remember him always, honoring his memory and the light he brought into their lives.
