By Ronen Medzini, Ynet
Israel Police forensic teams will be heading to Mumbai Sunday on an Air Force plane in order to offer their assistance in identifying the remaining bodies in the Chabad House massacre.
Officials are saying that eight or nine people were murdered at the Jewish center. Six bodies have been identified so far – five Israelis and a Jewish Mexican national.
The names of the five Israeli victims have been cleared for publication: Rivka Holtzberg, Gavriel Holtzberg, Leibish Teitlebaum, Bentzion Chroman, Yocheved Orpaz.
Shuki Brif, a member of the ZAKA disaster victim identification force sent to Mumbai, recounted the horrifying scenes at the site of the massacre.
“When we entered the Chabad House, we saw a home completely ruined by hand grenades. The building was completely destroyed and we saw live grenades on the floor. It was a shocking sight. Prayer books and many other objects were all over the place. It was a shocking sight even for a veteran ZAKA member.”
“The bodies of the rabbi and the kashrut observers were in one room. Two more bodies were bound with phone cords,” Brif said. “The body of the rabbi’s wife was draped in a prayer shawl. We estimate that she died earlier, and the rabbi covered her. We removed the bodies that could be removed. Later, security forces continued to neutralize the explosives, and only after that we continued to remove the bodies.
ZAKA members say they insisted that the bodies would not be subjected to an autopsy. “We explained to the Indians how important it was for us not to perform an autopsy and not to touch the bodies,” one ZAKA official said. “We were arguing over this until nighttime.” For the time being, ZAKA members are staying at the massacre site to watch over the remaining bodies.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Ambassador to India Mark Sofer told Ynet about the difficult moments he experienced.
“We, and India as a whole, went through difficult days. The result is very grave for the Israelis and Jews who were murdered,” he said. “If I’m not mistaken, more Israelis were murdered than any other foreign nationality.”
The most important thing for us is to complete the identification of the bodies,” Sofer said, while praising the work of Israeli diplomatic officials in recent days.
“Everyone performed amazingly…even though they did not sleep for three days,” he said. “The two consul generals from Mumbai and Delhi traveled between hospitals constantly in order to look for Israelis. Later, they examined hundreds of bodies, including ones in very difficult condition, in order to identify Israelis. This isn’t an easy situation for anyone, and particularly for people who are not used to it.”
UPDATE: ‘Tallis Wrap’ Report Was False
were is MASHIACH
עד מתי???
u will understand
Why is it, that at a time like this, when we should be focusing on common unity, not only Chabad, there is very little mentioned about the others killed in Nariman House. The 2 mashgichim, both fathers of young children and yirei shamayim deserve mention too. Every other frum website has not only mentioned them and eulogized them, but has posted the fund info for them. Lets stop didviding ourselves and become part of Klal Yisroel again!!!!! Maybe then, we will be zoch 2 see Moshiach!!!
How such animals could exsist is unimaginable. However, the ones who are caught should be shown no mercy for they are animals and should be treated as such. May they suffer the atrosities they put these holy people through and may G-D send them to their final resting place in the fires of HELL
terror must be fought with goodness! we must flood the world with kindness so the terrorists cannot win….
Everyone should see how evil these monsters are.
I’m sure Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg HY”D want these pictures published so everyone will see what they went through.
Do something and demand that in the merit of your mitzvah, Moshiach come now and little moishele will have his parents back, NOW!!
this is terrible!!!
it’s so sad
Respectfully, are you the Enquirer or some othersensational site.? Please show some restraint and respect the dignity of these shluchim. These pictures are personal and do not belong on this forum.
yimach shemom veziichrom
These are awful pictures!!
What Rabbi Holtzberg mustve been through. this is unbearable. Hashem yishmor.
Hashem should avenge their death.
I cant stop crying
This is devastating! Ad mosai! we need Moshiach NOW