Tsachi Idan, who was murdered in Hamas captivity and whose body was returned to Israel on Wednesday, was laid to rest this morning (Friday). The funeral procession began with a farewell ceremony at Bloomfield Stadium, initiated by Hapoel Tel Aviv fans, of whom Tsachi was one. The funeral procession then left for Kibbutz Einat, where the eulogies will be read in the presence of his family and friends and without any additional audience. The Idan family called on the public to accompany Tsachi with Israeli flags on his final journey. Tsachi was kidnapped on October 7 from his home while hiding in his safe room with his wife Gali and their three children. His eldest daughter Maayan was murdered in front of the family while trying to help her father guard the safe room door. He will be buried next to her in the cemetery on Kibbutz Einat. The Idan family stated after his remains were identified, "Our family's unbearable journey to bring our beloved, dear Tsachi home from the hell in Gaza concluded with the identification of Tsachi's body by a team tasked with it by the State of Israel. The uncertainty and endless shake-ups have come to their end." "Tsachi was kidnapped on his feet, and we received a number of signs of life from him during the period he was in captivity, and in the deal during November 2023 he was still alive and expected to be released," they said. The family added, "Tsachi will be laid to eternal rest next to Maayan, his beloved daughter who was murdered on October 7 as she tried to help her father protect the door of the bomb shelter."
