Memorial for slain hostage Tsachi Idan begins at Bloomfield Stadium, funeral procession to follow
The public memorial ceremony for slain hostage Tsachi Idan began on Friday at 10:00 a.m. at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv.
The ceremony was organized by supporters of the Hapo’el Tel Aviv football club, of which Idan was an avid supporter.
Following the ceremony, at 11:15 a.m., a funeral procession will begin from the stadium to the cemetery at Kibbutz Einat.
His funeral will take place at 1.00 p.m at Kibbutz Einat with his family and loved ones and will be closed to the media, the hostage families forum said.
The Idan family and the forum, however, invited the public to stand along the route with Israeli flags and accompany him “on his final journey.”
Hapoel Tel Aviv said in a statement, “The Hapoel TLV family will pay their last respects tomorrow to one of its fans, Tzachi Idan, whose body was returned to Israel after 509 days in captivity.“
Idan’s sister, Noam Idan Ben Ezra, said, “My brother is a true hero; he held out and was one step away from being released in November 2023.”
“Tzachi was held hostage twice, the first time when he was kidnapped from his home and the second time when the deal exploded.”
Idan’s body was returned to Israel on Wednesday night.
October 7 massacre
On October 7, Idan, 50, was kidnapped from his home in Nahal Oz. He saw terrorists murdering his 18-year-old daughter, Maayan.
Hamas terrorists posted a live broadcast on Facebook of him, his wife Gali, and their 11-year-old Yael and 9-year-old Shahar, who were asking what happened to their sister. Their other daughter, 15-year-old Sharon, was not at home.
Idan was supposed to be released in the previous hostage-ceasefire deal in November 2023. Since then, his family reported receiving several signs of life.
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