At least seven Canadians were among the victims killed in the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7th. The conflict has escalated with retaliatory strikes from Israel on the Gaza Strip, resulting in thousands of deaths. Among the victims were Vivian Silver, who dedicated her life to peacebuilding, Tiferet Lapidot, who was attending a music festival, Netta Epstein, who sacrificed himself to save others, Shir Georgy, who was ambushed at the festival, Adi Vital-Kaploun, who convinced her killers to spare her children, Ben Mizrachi, who was about to start university, and Alexandre Look, who died heroically protecting others. Toronto Star reported
According to friends, family, and government officials, at least seven Canadians were killed in a series of attacks conducted by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7. An additional person with strong ties to Canada, who was not a citizen, also died. The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in thousands of casualties, as Israel has carried out retaliatory strikes on the Gaza Strip. Here is what we know about the victims:
Vivian Silver, 74, was in her home on Kibbutz Be’eri near the Gaza border when she learned of Hamas’ incursion into Israel. She was on the phone with her son, Yonatan Zeigen, at the time. They expressed their disbelief at the Israeli army’s inability to protect civilians and said their goodbyes, fearing it would be their last conversation. They switched to text messages so Vivian could remain silent, but then someone broke into her home. Before the messages stopped, they expressed their love for each other. Yonatan received information that his mother had been taken hostage, as her phone was geolocated in Gaza. On Monday, Vivian’s death was confirmed by her son Chen Zeigen, who said her remains were found on the kibbutz. Vivian was born in Winnipeg and moved to Israel in 1974. She dedicated her life to promoting peace and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians and volunteered to help children in Gaza access medical care in Israel.
Tiferet Lapidot, 22, was attending a music festival when the Hamas attack took place. Her cousin, Oran Zlotnik, described her as a charismatic and compassionate person who had traveled the world, taught in Africa, and spent time in Australia before returning to Israel. Tiferet called her mother the morning of the attack to let her know she was hiding in a bush and asked for advice on whether to flee. Her cellphone was later traced to the Gaza Strip, leading her family to believe she was being held hostage. However, when the cellphone of one of Tiferet’s confirmed deceased friends was also traced to Gaza, the family began to suspect she may not have been a hostage. Tiferet’s body was later identified, and her funeral was held. Although Tiferet was an Israeli citizen, her family had Canadian roots, including her father, Ohad, who was born in Saskatchewan. The family expressed gratitude to the Jewish community in Canada and the MPs who offered support. They also had a meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly during her visit to Israel.
Netta Epstein, 21, an Israeli-Canadian, was killed when his home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza was attacked. His mother, Ayelet Shachar-Epstein, learned about the circumstances of his death through text messages he sent moments before he was killed and from his fiancée, Irene Shavit, who survived. Netta and Irene were in a safe room when they were attacked, and Netta heroically jumped on a grenade thrown by the attackers. Ayelet, who also lost her mother-in-law and two brothers-in-law in the attacks, described it as a terrorist invasion. Netta, born in Montreal, was a Canadian citizen. Ayelet expressed her gratitude to the Jewish community in Canada for their support.
Shir Georgy, 22, an Israeli Canadian, was killed by Hamas militants during an ambush at the music festival near Kibbutz Re’im. Her aunt, Michal Bouganim, confirmed her death and expressed heartbreak over the loss. A video clip shared by Bouganim showed a terrified Shir sitting on the floor, surrounded by injured festival attendees. Shir’s funeral was held in Israel.
Adi Vital-Kaploun, 33, a dual citizen, was killed by Hamas militants in her kibbutz near the Israeli-Gaza border. The Jewish Federation of Ottawa confirmed her death, and her family described her as a hero for convincing her killers to spare her two young children and warning her father and husband to hide during the attack. Adi, a talented dancer, saxophonist, and basketball player, had a successful career in cybersecurity after completing her master’s degree in engineering. Her family mourned the act of terrorism and wished her memory to be a blessing.
Ben Mizrachi, 22, from Vancouver, was among the victims gunned down by Hamas militants at the music festival in southern Israel. Described as larger than life with a big personality, Ben was about to start university in Israel after serving in the country’s national defense force. His former high school in B.C. and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver expressed their condolences.
Alexandre Look, who had recently turned 33, was attending the musical festival and was killed during the attack. Alexandre, originally from Montreal, had moved to Mexico with his family before the incident. His father described him as a hero who bravely protected those around him. A friend remembered Alexandre as a once-in-a-lifetime person who had a positive influence on everyone he encountered. Alexandre was proud of his Jewish Canadian identity and was known for his generosity.
This report, published on November 14, 2023, provides information about the Canadian victims of the Hamas attacks in Israel..
Friends, family, and government officials have confirmed that at least seven Canadians lost their lives in a series of attacks conducted by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7. Additionally, an eighth person, who had strong ties to Canada but was not a citizen, also tragically died. The conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated, resulting in thousands of casualties thus far. Among the victims, Vivian Silver, a 74-year-old woman from Kibbutz Be’eri near the Gaza border, was speaking with her son, Yonatan Zeigen, on the phone when they learned of the Hamas incursion into Israel. Realizing the danger, they shifted to text messages to maintain silence, but someone broke into Vivian’s home. They exchanged their final words of love before communication ceased. Yonatan received information indicating that his mother had been taken hostage, as her phone was traced to Gaza. On Monday, his brother confirmed Vivian’s death, revealing that her remains had been identified. Vivian, originally from Winnipeg, had dedicated her life to peacebuilding and facilitating understanding between Israelis and Palestinians. She also volunteered to help children in Gaza access medical care in Israel.
Another victim, Tiferet Lapidot, was just days away from celebrating her 23rd birthday when the Hamas attack occurred. Tiferet, an Israeli citizen, came from a Canadian family. She had traveled extensively and taught in Africa before returning to Israel. Her cousin, Oran Zlotnik, described her as charismatic and compassionate. Tiferet called her mother the morning of the attack, seeking advice on whether to flee. Her cellphone was later traced to the Gaza Strip, raising concerns that she had been taken hostage. Tiferet’s body was eventually identified, and her family held a funeral. Tiferet’s father, Ohad, was born in Saskatchewan, and the family expressed gratitude for the support they received from the Jewish community in Canada and Canadian MPs.
Another victim, Netta Epstein, a 21-year-old Israeli-Canadian, tragically lost his life when his home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza was attacked. Netta’s mother, Ayelet Shachar-Epstein, described him as someone who loved life. She learned about the circumstances of his death from the text messages he sent her moments before he was killed. Netta had been in a safe room with his fiancée, Irene Shavit, and he heroically sacrificed himself by jumping on a grenade thrown by the attackers. Netta, born in Montreal, was a Canadian citizen. His mother also lost her mother-in-law and two brothers-in-law in the attacks.
Shir Georgy, a 22-year-old Israeli Canadian, was killed by Hamas militants during the ambush at the music festival near Kibbutz Re’im. Michal Bouganim, Shir’s aunt, confirmed the heartbreaking news. She shared a short video in which Shir was seen terrified, surrounded by injured festival attendees. Shir’s funeral took place in Israel.
Adi Vital-Kaploun, a dual citizen with connections to Ottawa, was murdered by Hamas militants in her kibbutz near the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip. The Jewish Federation of Ottawa released a statement on behalf of Adi’s family, describing her as a hero who saved her two young children and warned her father and husband to stay hidden during the attack. Adi was known for bringing love and laughter to her household. She excelled in her cybersecurity career after completing her master’s degree in engineering.
Ben Mizrachi, a 22-year-old Canadian from Vancouver, was among the victims gunned down by Hamas militants at the music festival in southern Israel. Ben, who had a vibrant personality, was about to start university in Israel after serving in the country’s national defense force. He had a positive influence on those around him and was remembered as a kind and community-minded individual.
Alexandre Look, a 33-year-old Canadian who recently celebrated his birthday, also lost his life at the music festival. Alexandre, who had lived in Montreal before moving to Mexico, was hailed as a hero by his father. He had a strong desire to protect those around him. A close friend, Lior Horovitz, described Alexandre as a once-in-a-lifetime person who was always willing to help others, especially within the Jewish community.
The loss of these individuals is a tragedy, and their families and loved ones are grieving their untimely deaths. The Canadian government has expressed its condolences and is providing support to the affected families during this difficult time..