Romi Gonen, a former hostage of the recently eliminated terrorist, said that the terrorist 'is in hell today and I am here,' according to a statement reported by The Zioneer. Gonen described the terrorist as the first who 'ruined my innocence' and 'dirtied my soul.'
Romi Gonen, a former hostage of the Hamas terrorist eliminated earlier this week, released a statement Friday evening reacting to the news. 'The first one who ruined my innocence, dirtied my soul, couldn't restrain himself and came after me into the shower. He is in hell today and I am here,' Gonen said, according to a report by The Zioneer. The statement came hours after the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed the elimination of the terrorist, identified as Abd al-Rahim Kardi, a deputy Hamas cell commander who also served as a doctor at Shifa Hospital.
The story evolved rapidly on Friday. At 18:22 Jerusalem, initial reports from ynet indicated the elimination of a terrorist who held Gonen and the body of Cpl. Noa Marciano (z"l). Shortly after, the IDF and Shin Bet officially confirmed the killing, naming Kardi and detailing his role in the October 7, 2023 attack and the subsequent holding of hostages. The military stated the strike was carried out on Thursday in the Gaza City area. The thread moved from unconfirmed reports to official confirmation with identification within the same hour, with each version adding corroboration and detail.
The Zioneer previously reported on a similar reaction from former hostage Emily Damari, who said the terrorist and his accomplices are 'now burning in the fire of hell.' That background highlights the personal significance of the elimination for the survivors.
No further details about the operation have been released beyond the IDF's statement. The terrorist's exact role in the captivity of Gonen and the late Noa Marciano was not elaborated beyond the initial description.
9 developments
- StrongReport: IDF eliminated terrorist who held Romi Gonen captive
- DevelopingFormer hostage Ilana Gritzewsky says Hamas terrorist told her he would marry her in captivity
- StrongEmily Damari: 'Now they are burning in the fire of hell' after terrorist's elimination
- DevelopingIris Haim says she felt no joy of revenge after terrorist who held her son was eliminated
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