Bar Godard, the daughter of Meny Godard, an Israeli man murdered and abducted byHamasin theOctober 7terrorist attack, revealed Saturday during a rally in Tel Aviv that anIDFoperation to retrieve her father’s body had failed.
Speaking at the Hostages Square protest calling for the release of the remaining captives, Godard described how a senior officer informed her family that Israeli troops had launched a daring mission to recover her father's remains but were unsuccessful. “In the end, he said, ‘I’m so sorry,’” she recounted.
Authorities confirmed on February 8, 2024, that Godard, a resident of Kibbutz Be’eri, was killed in the Hamas-led assault. His wife, Ayelet Godard, was also murdered in the attack on their home. The family had marked what would have been his 73rd birthday on the beach where he spent his youth and later worked as a lifeguard, saving countless lives.
Godard shared the emotional moment she learned of her father’s death. “On Monday afternoon, rumors started spreading—reports on Telegram about bodies being recovered,” she said. “Soon after, I saw his photo under the headline: ‘The body of Meny Godard recovered.’ I began to shake. That evening, our liaison officer called and said he was on his way. I thought maybe he would say my dad is alive. But the moment he opened the door, I understood—Dad isn’t coming back.”
She said the officer described the mission to extract Godard’s body, which included retrieving remains from a refrigerator in a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) outpost. Despite the bravery of the soldiers involved, the mission was ultimately unsuccessful.
She appealed to the crowd to avoid spreading unverified rumors. “The emotional collapse that follows false reports is devastating,” she said. “Please, be responsible with what you share.”
Addressing both Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahuand IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen.Eyal Zamir, Godard issued a firm request on behalf of her family: “Do not send any more soldiers into harm’s way to retrieve my father’s body. No more families should be added to the circle of grief. We demand his return, along with all the hostages, through a negotiated deal.”
She concluded with a powerful call to action: “Bring the living hostages home now. Give the dead a proper burial. [Netanyahu], take responsibility like that officer—and secure a deal that will unite and strengthen the nation.”