An Israeli family that died from the attacks perpetrated by Hamas was found together locked in an embrace, the New York Post reported. The bodies of the five family members were found in bed following a coordinated attack that killed more than a thousand people.
The Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas perpetrated the surprise coordinated attack on Oct. 7. There were many tragic stories that emerged from that massacre, including the heartbreaking account of a family found dead together.
The victims were identified as Aviv Kutz, 54, his wife, Livnat, 49, their twin sons, Yiftach and Yonatan, 17, and daughter, Rotem, 19. Their bodies were discovered by Adi Levy Salama, who is the children's aunt. She said the family had been living in Boston for a number of years before recently moving back to Israel.
"On the day they were murdered, we were supposed to visit them," Salama said. "Aviv organized an annual kite festival along the fence with Gaza to show them that we just want to live in peace," she recalled.
Livnat worked as a graphic designer while Aviv was in agriculture and was deputy director at a consulting firm. Yonatan and Yiftach, both students at a boarding school, played youth basketball.
Rotem trained new recruits and was a soldier with the IDF. "They were all amazing kids with huge hearts. They had their whole lives ahead of them," Salama said of her niece and nephews.
There were other bright futures cut tragically short that day, including Niral Zini, 31, was killed along with his girlfriend Niv Raviv, 27. Both were officers with the IDF, and Zini was planning to propose to Raviv before that fateful day. In fact, the ring he planned to present to his would-be fiance was found in the rubble of the house where they both perished.
"They’re here. I’m putting the phone down — pray," Zini texted his family for the last time. The young man, armed with a knife, stood guard at the door of a shelter while Raviv cowered under the bed.
It was nearly a week before their families would officially hear word that they were dead. Last Saturday, the two were honored at a funeral that was attended by hundreds.
They were remembered by family as self-sacrificing and eager to help their fellow man. Raviv was on track to become a clinical psychologist, while Zini was a law student interested in one day representing battle-wounded soldiers.
Amid the tragic loss, news emerged of a mother and son whho made it out alive, thanks to the help and protection of the IDF. Video captured by the soldiers, who were part of the Oketz Unit, showed the moment when they came to the assistance of a woman and her son.
"It’s the IDF, it’s the IDF," a soldier said in Hebrew on the clip. "How are you? Everything is OK. Happy holiday, happy holiday. Are you with someone here?" the service person asked through a closed door.
"With my son," the mother answered. The mother and son had been sheltering there for hours when the IDF came to their rescue.
The attack on Israel was brutal, deadly, and unnecessary. Unfortunately, it's becoming apparent that whatever comes next in the world is likely to be that much worse.
