Hundreds of people gathered on Monday at the cemetery at Kibbutz Be’eri as Meny Godard, who was killed in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, and whose body was held hostage for more than two years, was finally laid to rest.

Godard, 73, was murdered by Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in Be’eri on October 7 along with his wife, Ayelet, 63.

Godard’s family said in a statement ahead of the funeral that he “loved this land, its songs and its people.”

“We stand here today and say goodbye to you. But in fact, the farewell words are dedicated to the memory — to you and Ayelet, the love of your life,” President Isaac Herzog said in his eulogy at the funeral on Monday.

“I stand here today as the president of Israel, and I know that to ask for your forgiveness is not enough. As president of the State of Israel, I am sorry that we weren’t here to protect you. I’m sorry that it took over two years to return dear Meni to his homeland,” Herzog said, and asserted the need to investigate the October 7, 2023, massacre.

“When we........

© The Times of Israel