‘The country is more important than her’: Gaza Hostage Liri Albag’s family receives cruel message

Last week, a wreath with the inscription “May her memory be a blessing, the country is more important” was laid at the front door of the family of hostage Liri Albag amid growing harassment of hostage families. 

Albag was one of the soldiers kidnapped to the Gaza Strip on October 7. 

A few months ago, documentation was published in which she appears along with other soldiers after their kidnapping. 

Albag was not defined as someone killed in captivity, and for now, the IDF still classifies her as a living hostage.

Albag’s sister reacts to the event

Her sister Roni said to Walla! “Bad people decided to send us a mourner’s wreath at home. We don’t know who it is. On Friday, the community’s security officer saw it, took it straight to the police so we wouldn’t see it, and filed a complaint.”

“I cried hysterically. How in the world are there people who dare to send a mourner’s wreath to the family when we know she is alive? I have no words; it shocks me and makes me sick,” she added.

Albag’s family is one of the most prominent members of the struggle of the hostages’ families.

A few weeks ago, it was revealed in an interview her family conducted with the Daily Mail that IDF troops located Albag’s DNA in one of the apartments in Gaza.

Only recently was it revealed that at one point, she was held by a family in Gaza, who forced her to clean and cook but often prevented her from eating.

The police said on Sunday it had opened an investigation into the matter.

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum provided the following statement after the publication of the incident:

“The family of hostage Liri Elbag cruelly received a funeral wreath for the supposed death of their daughter.

“The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters strongly condemns this violent behavior towards the Elbag family. Led by our Head of Security and in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, an investigation into this matter will be launched to the fullest extent of the law.

“The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters will continue its struggle until Liri and all other hostages return home, either for rehabilitation or an honorable burial.”

Later on Sunday, the Shin Bet said there was a high probability that the wreath had been sent by Iranian officials.  

JPost