The funeral for Oded Lifshitz, who was murdered at the age of 83 in Hamas captivity and whose body was returned to Israel last week, began on Tuesday in Rishon Lezion.

Thousands of Israelis carrying Israeli flags waited on the sides of the roads in the city to pay their respects to Oded as his casket passed by.

Later in the day, the casket will pass the Sa'ad and Nir Oz Junctions in the Gaza envelope, where thousands of residents are already waiting to pay their respects. Eulogies will begin at 2:00 p.m. local time.

Arnon, Oded’s son, eulogized his father: “Dad, now you are here, you are home. You were returned in a hostage deal and it is clear to me that you would not have agreed to endanger any person in order to rescue your body. I want to tell you what you meant to me – you always ‘practiced what you preached,’ you loved everyone you knew, you were so modest, you constantly aspired to a world where everyone is equal and life is good.

“You would never have considered taking revenge against those who did this to us. You would have encouraged us to rebuild Nir Oz as our recovery, to return to ourselves, to who we were, ‘a light unto the nations.’ I miss you so much, rest in peace.”

Daniel, Oded’s eldest grandson, eulogized his grandfather, “Dear grandfather, I want to start from the end. I fought as much as I could. I caught every bullet that I could and fought to save your life. You were always with me, showing me the way and teaching me. You always told me to see the good in every person. You and grandma were my grandparents, parents and my best friends.”

“I followed in your footsteps. I spoke to friends and enemies, with heads of armies and states. I was your ambassador. I was your soldier, and mainly your grandson, who loves you. In the last 500 plus days I have learned an important lesson – how amazing our nation is and how much our community is a family. I know that from up there you are still teaching us, ‘don’t miss any opportunity.’ Bring them all home. In your life and your death, you are my guide.”

Oded's casket arrives in Nir Oz