Grieving Father Apologizes for Harsh Words Against Hamas Hostage Survivor

Itzik Bonzel, a candidate for the Likud party and a bereaved father who lost his son in the war, retracted harsh statements he made against Yocheved Lifshitz, a former Hamas hostage, and apologized to her on Monday. Bonzel had previously written that he wished there was a way to turn back time and return Lifshitz to Hamas.

Bonzel explained in a new statement that his initial remarks stemmed from emotional turmoil following his son's death in the conflict. "As a bereaved father who lost his son in the war to return the hostages, it hurt me to see the harsh words that disparaged our fighters," he wrote. He specifically addressed the controversial statement about Lifshitz and Hamas, clarifying that it was not his intention and he was retracting it.

Earlier, Bonzel had criticized Lifshitz in response to her comments about Miriam Adelson. He stated that it was not Adelson, but "hundreds of heroes who went into the inferno to bring you back alive, some of whom never returned," who rescued her from the Gaza tunnels.

Lifshitz had responded to Bonzel's initial remarks, claiming that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sent him to incite against her. Following the exchange and the ensuing public outcry, Bonzel issued his apology, emphasizing that his comment regarding Hamas did not reflect his true intentions.