Israeli family of five found lying in tragic embrace after being murdered by Hamas

The family was found together, lying dead in a bed at their Kfar Aza home after the October 7 attack

Updated on: Oct 16, 2023, 22:12:15 IST

By Sumanti Sen

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

An Israeli family of five people were found dead in an embrace after they were murdered by Hamas terrorists in Israel. Aviv Kutz, 54, was found embracing his wife, Livnat, 49, daughter, Rotem, 19, and sons Yonatan, 17, and Yiftach, 17. They were found together, lying dead in a bed at their Kfar Aza home after the October 7 attack, the Times of Israel reported.

Aviv Kutz, 54, was found embracing his wife, Livnat, 49, daughter, Rotem, 19, and sons Yonatan, 17, and Yiftach, 17 (Rachel Elior/Facebook)

“On the day they were murdered, we were supposed to visit them,” the children’s aunt, Adi Levy Salama, said of the family. The family had lived in Boston for years before returning to Israel. “Aviv organized an annual kite festival along the fence with Gaza to show them that we just want to live in peace,” Adi said.

Livnat was a graphic designer born during the Yom Kippur War, while her husband was deputy director of a consulting firm. He also worked in agriculture. Yonatan and Yiftach attended the Kfar Hayarok boarding school in Ramat Hasharon. They also played basketball in the Hapoel youth program. Rotem, on the other hand, was an IDF soldier who trained new recruits.

“They were all amazing kids with huge hearts. They had their whole lives ahead of them,” Adi said.

Since the October 7 attack, over 1,400 Israelis have been killed, most of them civilians, according to officials. Several others were taken hostage by the terrorists.

The Hamas attack on Israel over the last weekend claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians.The worst of the attacks, perhaps, was launched at a music festival in Israel. The party descended into chaos when the terrorists attacked the site, killing at least 260 people and abducting many more. Thousands of people attended the party, near Kibbutz Re'im close to Gaza. Palestinian gunmen attacked the site and shot people down as they tried to escape.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

Get the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries. Follow major international events on Hindustan Times.