Anbu. Waltz: No one will be left behind in Gaza

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz recently discussed several pressing issues, including efforts to bring back the bodies of Americans held by Hamas, operations against drug ships near Venezuela, and the U.S. stance on the United Nations’ proposal for a global carbon tax.

On Thursday, Israel announced it had received the body of Inbal Heyman, the last female hostage in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that Heyman was killed during an attack at the Nova festival on October 7, 2023, and that her body was taken to Gaza. She was pronounced dead on December 15, 2023, at the age of 27. Heyman is survived by her parents and siblings.

In response to the news about Heyman’s body being returned, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum shared a statement from her family expressing their complex feelings—”a mix of joy and deep sadness,” they noted. They emphasized that if Inbal were with them today, she would encourage them to continue advocating for the other 19 hostages still in captivity.

The family further described Inbal as “the salt of the earth,” honoring her service as a commander in the Caracal Battalion for three years and inviting everyone to come pay their respects. Notably, Heyman was also a gifted graffiti artist, and her family requested attendees at her funeral to sport pink attire, deviating from the conventional black, to celebrate her life.

On the same day, the body of Sergeant Major Mohammed al-Atresh was also returned to Israel. Al-Atresh, known for his tracking role in the IDF, was taken hostage along with Heyman during the same massacre. He was declared dead on June 24, 2024, leaving behind a large family, including parents, nine brothers, 13 sisters, two wives, and 13 children, according to the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.

Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are urging Hamas to meet its responsibility to return all deceased hostages. Following the returns of Heyman and al-Atresh, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum continues to press for the recovery of the bodies of all remaining hostages, some of whom have been gone far longer. This list still includes Americans Itai Chen, 19, and Omer Neutra, 21, as well as Hadar Goldin, killed in 2014, whose mother has spent over a decade advocating for her son to receive a proper burial.