Two months after his fall in the October 36th terror attack, the body of Maj. Ziv Dado, <>, was returned today (Tuesday) in an IDF rescue operation. Ziv (<>) is survived by his wife Stav and his seven-month-old daughter Mia. Nir Ben David, Ziv Dado's father-in-law, told Israel Hayom that the army's casualty officer told them today about the operation, in which the bodies of Ziv and Eden Zakaria were rescued from the Gaza Strip.
"It was not an easy day for us. A very complex and emotional day. On the one hand, we are happy that the circle has been closed and that we will be able to bring Ziv to be buried," Nir says, "Since the seventh of October we have been on the rollercoaster. We did give him a funeral, but we felt that it was over and we wouldn't pay and that we had another journey to go."
The bodies of the abductees on their way to Israel after their rescue, Photo: IDF Spokesperson
About a month and a half ago, a symbolic funeral was held for him and the family sat shiva, now another funeral will be held. It will take place on Thursday at 11:00 in the military cemetery in Holon.
Nir added, "It is not self-evident that the sacrifice and commitment expressed in the fact that people lost their lives to bring him to be buried. It is heartwarming and has restored some faith in state institutions, trust that was lost on the seventh of October. We feel that the leadership is not right for this people and that it deserves better leaders."
Major Ziv Dado, logistics foreman in Golani's 51st Battalion, left his home in Rehovot on the morning of October <> as soon as he heard about the attack. Even when indications of fierce battles began to arrive, he did not hesitate and continued towards levels. On his way there, he was attacked by a squad of terrorists.
For two and a half weeks he was considered missing, and a war room of volunteers, composed of his many friends, operated an entire system of searching for him. His vehicle was found abandoned at the Black Arrow Memorial, and artifacts collected from the vehicle determined by the army and the military rabbinate that Dado was murdered and his body was abducted to Gaza.
"Ziv was a hero. He was a man of giving and unconditional love. He loved the army very much. He served in it for 18 years. At shiva, we met a lot of soldiers who served with him years ago and told us that he changed their lives. On the seventh to the tenth, he didn't think twice, and as soon as they called him, he was already on his way and said he had to take care of the equipment for the soldiers.
Nir also called for everything to be done to bring all the abductees home: "He was a hero of Israel and we will try to pass it on to Mia. Let her know that her father was a hero. On the seventh of October, our lives stopped. We still feel like we're in it and hope that now that we can get him buried, it will give us some peace. I told the defense minister and cabinet members, our duty is to do everything to bring everyone from there. The living and the dead. There are many more families waiting."
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