Grieving Father Apologizes After Wishing Hostage Survivor Back to Hamas Captivity

Itzik Bonzel, a bereaved father whose son was killed in Gaza and who is slated to be on the Likud party's Knesset list, sparked political controversy on Monday with harsh remarks directed at Yocheved Lifshitz, a former Hamas hostage. Lifshitz had previously criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government's handling of the October 7th attacks and the hostage situation.

In response to Lifshitz's criticism, Bonzel posted on social media, "I wish there was a way to turn back time and return you to Hamas." Lifshitz responded forcefully, accusing Netanyahu of dispatching Bonzel, whom she referred to as "his reservist," to incite against her. She asserted that this was an attempt to divert attention from Netanyahu's alleged prior knowledge of warnings that could have prevented the October 7th failures. Lifshitz further stated that Netanyahu "abandoned me on October 7th, abandoned my husband Oded and 45 other hostages who were taken alive to die in captivity, and continues to harm our security."

Opposition politicians widely condemned Bonzel's remarks. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, called Lifshitz a "hero" and criticized the Likud party for enlisting individuals who wish such harm upon her. MK Naama Lazimi described Lifshitz as a "symbol of strength, heroism, and humanity" and criticized the party for wishing her back to "Hamas hell." MK Efrat Reiten called Bonzel's statement a "moral disgrace" and stated that such a person is unfit to be an elected official. MK Gilad Kariv defended Lifshitz as a "hero, a model of patriotism and resilience," calling Bonzel's words a "disgraceful stain" on the party under whose leadership she and her family were attacked.

Following the backlash, Bonzel issued an apology, stating that in the "heat of emotion," he wrote a sentence about Lifshitz in the context of Hamas that he did not intend. He explained that as a bereaved father, he was pained by comments he perceived as disrespecting the soldiers fighting to free the hostages, but reiterated his apology for the specific remark made towards Lifshitz.