Rudaeff lived in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, in the south of the country, and died defending his neighbors on the fateful October 7
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Israel confirmed that the remains delivered through international mediation belong to First Sergeant (res.) Lior Rudaeff, an Argentine-Israeli citizen who was killed during the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.
Rudaeff, born in Argentina and who arrived in Israel at the age of seven, lived in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak in the south of the country. On the morning of October 7, when terrorists from Hamas's Nukhba unit stormed the community, Lior was one of the first to respond to the attack as part of the local emergency team.
The Argentine killed by Hamas, Lior Rudaeff
Without immediate military support, the neighbors resisted for hours against the invaders. Thanks to his bravery and leadership, an even greater massacre was prevented, but Lior disappeared in the midst of the fighting.
For months, it was believed that he had been kidnapped alive, after his phone was tracked in Gaza. Only in May 2024 did the Army inform the family that Rudaeff had been killed on the same day as the attack, and that his body had been taken to the Strip by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The Argentine hero leaves behind a wife, four children, three grandchildren, and a family who described him as "a man of the land, of the community, and of the heart". In an emotional post, his children wrote: "After 763 heartbreaking days, our Lior has returned home to be buried in the land he went out to defend."
The Argentine ambassador to Israel, Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish, honored his memory during a meeting with released hostages: "We celebrate life and freedom, but the happiness was not complete: we were still waiting for the return of the bodies, among them that of our compatriot Lior Rudaeff."
On social media, Wahnish thanked President Javier Milei for his "firm decision and moral clarity" in supporting the families of the kidnapped.
From Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, the community recalled that "thanks to his courage, an even greater tragedy was prevented. Lior was a neighbor, a friend, a tireless volunteer who was always there to help."
With the return of his remains, Israel pays tribute to a man who embodied the spirit of sacrifice and solidarity — an Argentine who gave his life to defend his home and his people.
