‘Saying goodbye for a 3rd time’: Ofir Tzarfati’s family buries remains returned by Hamas

The family of Ofir Tzarfati on Thursday held a ceremony for the slain hostage to bury partial remains that were returned by Hamas earlier this week, saying that they felt like they were having to say goodbye “for a third time.”

Tzarfati, 27, was shot, wounded and kidnapped by Gazan terrorists as he tried to escape from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023.

The family has twice before gathered to mourn Tzarfati — on November 27 when the IDF declared that he was confirmed dead, and again in December, when they held a funeral after the military recovered his body from Gaza.

Now, they gathered a third time after additional partial remains of Tzarfati were “discovered” and “recovered” in a staged Hamas event in Gaza City on Monday, and returned to Israel instead of the promised return of a body of one of the 13 deceased hostages still held in Gaza.

Dozens of people stood along the streets carrying Israeli flags to pay their respects to Tzarfati as his remains were driven to the Kiryat Ata cemetery.

“My love, again I am saying goodbye to you. There’s no mother who can stand above an open grave. It’s a rupture that has no name and my heart does not know how to hold it,” his mother, Rachel, said at the grave.

עשרות אזרחים עם דגלי ישראל בצד הדרך
נותנים כבוד אחרון במסע הלוויה של אופיר צרפתי ז"ל בקרית אתא.. יהי זכרו ברוך, ????️ pic.twitter.com/eDlrga1fe7

— מה חדש. What's new❓ (@Gloz111) October 30, 2025

“Those who kidnapped and desecrated, not only murdered Ofir, but also used the bodies to play games. Amid this horror, there is comfort that a part of you has finally returned home and returned to the Holy Land,” she said.

“I hope this is the last time we will come here,” said Tzarfati’s father, Hanan, at the ceremony on Thursday. “Ofir, your decision to save lives, during your life and in your death, was clear to us because that is how we raised you.”

“I dreamed of you, my beautiful son, like Samson the hero, sweating, fighting for our people. I want to ask for your forgiveness. Forgiveness that they kidnapped you and abused you, forgiveness that I failed to protect you,” he said.

“I’m standing here wondering how you say goodbye to a brother for the third time. I’m sorry you went out to fight the terrorists alone. I’m sorry it ended like this, that you were hurt, that you were desecrated like this. I’m sorry you haven’t rested for two years. I’m sorry it took so long,” Tzarfati’s sister, Shoval, said.

Ofir, who was celebrating his 27th birthday at the Nova rave with his girlfriend, Shoval Gal, led his group of friends as they ran and hid when Hamas terrorists opened fire, according to a group member.

They got to their car and Ofir made sure Shoval was safe inside, but he ended up getting into another car. Days later, Shoval heard that Ofir had been shot and badly hurt in the other car, and was presumed captive in Gaza.

Tzarfati’s family had earlier decried Hamas’s “manipulation” after military drone footage showed that the terror group had staged the discovery of the remains before handing them over to the Red Cross.

Earlier this month, 20 living hostages were released after 738 days in captivity, as part of phase one of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza. Hamas said Thursday that it would hand over another two bodies belonging to hostages in the afternoon.