Taken captive: Avraham Munder, forced to kneel in front of terrorists
78-year-old is still a captive in Gaza as his wife, daughter and grandson – captured on Kibbutz Nir Oz, on October 7 – are freed
Avraham Munder, 78, was taken captive from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7 by Hamas terrorists who attacked the community, killing and kidnapping dozens.
On that morning, Munder was forced to kneel on the ground as his wife, Ruti Munder, also 78, their daughter, Keren Munder, 54 and her son, Ohad, then 8, were abducted and driven away.
Keren and Ohad had been visiting from Kfar Saba for the holiday weekend.
Ruti, Keren and Ohad were released on November 24 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel.
Only upon their release did they learn that Avraham had not been killed, but captured. They heard that other captives had seen Avraham and that “he was okay, but that was almost 20 days ago,” said his nephew, Barak Ben Ezra to The Times of Israel.
Avraham and Ruti’s son, Roi Munder, who also lived at Nir Oz, was killed on October 7.
His mother and sister had already learned about his death from a radio broadcast that one of their captors was listening to.
When Roi was buried on October 22, there was no immediate family member present at the funeral or to sit shiva, the seven-day Jewish mourning period, for him.
Upon learning that her husband was among the remaining hostages, Ruti has joined the rest of her family in keeping vigil for his release.
Avraham is not in good health, walks with a cane and has bad eyesight.
Ruti, Keren and Ohad are “not good, they’re tired,” said niece and nephew, Hadar Horesh and Barak Ben Ezra, during a march for the hostages. “And they don’t know what’s happening to Avraham.”
