The father of Almog Meir Jan, an Israeli hostage freed by Israeli forces in Gaza, died hours before his son’s rescue.
Yossi Meir Jan, 57, had been distraught over his son’s eight months in Hamas captivity.
Family members said Yossi had visibly declined, losing 20 kg and isolating himself as he clung to updates about his son.
Upon learning of Almog’s rescue, his aunt rushed to Yossi’s home but found him dead, his skin discolored.
“He lost 20 kilos, he couldn’t bear it in any way,” Yossi’s sister Dina said. “He closed himself off, didn’t want to see people. Everyone was worried about Yossi, but he wasn’t able to communicate with anyone.”
“I drove like crazy, I knocked, ‘Yossi, Yossi, Yossi,’ and nothing. I got no answer. The door of his house was open and I saw him sleeping in the living room. I screamed ‘Yossi’ to him and he didn’t answer me. I saw the color of his skin, I touched him, but he was dead,” Dina said.
She believes he died of a broken heart from the ordeal of his son’s captivity.
Yossi Meir Jan will be laid to rest privately along with Arnon Zamora, the Israeli anti-terror unit leader killed during the rescue operation in Gaza.