The family of deceased hostage Meny Godard, whose body was recently returned to Israel for burial, has released a video showing Meny and his wife Ayelet sending a message to their relatives during 2021's Operation Guardian of the Walls.
Ayelet was murdered in the October 7 massacre, while Meny was taken hostage and murdered during his time in captivity.
“Until it’s truly over - it’s not over,” Meny says in the recording. “We're not concluding just yet.”
“Right,” Ayelet replies. “We’re waiting for Islamic Jihad to run out of bombs.”
Watch the Hebrew video:
Meny's body was identified Thursday evening that an identification process of deceased hostage Meny Godard, after it was returned from Gaza.
Godard from Kibbutz Be'eri grew up on the beach alongside his father, Yaakov, who worked as a lifeguard. Meny later followed in his footsteps and became a lifeguard himself. He arrived at Kibbutz Be'eri at the age of 14, following his sister Shmuelah.
In the army, he served in the Armored Corps reconnaissance unit and fought in the Yom Kippur War. Meny’s family describes him as a generous man, endlessly kind, and a devoted supporter of Hapoel Tel Aviv. Throughout his life he held many roles in the kibbutz, including managing the community pool for many years.
Of all his accomplishments, he always regarded his family as his greatest. Meny was a devoted father to his four children, and a proud, loving grandfather to his grandchildren.
On the morning of October 7, Meny hid in the safe room of his home in Kibbutz Beeri with his wife, Ayelet. The two fled after their house was set on fire, but the terrorists ambushed them outside. Meny was murdered and taken into Gaza, while Ayelet hid in the bushes for several hours before she was also murdered.
Meny is survived by his children Gal, Bar, Mor, and Goni, and by his seven grandchildren.