- Noa Argamani was one of four hostages rescued in a daring raid in Gaza in June
Rescued hostage Noa Argamani has told how ‘against all odds’ she was able to be with her terminally ill mother in her ‘final moments’ before she laid her to rest today.
The 26-year-old said she is ‘still trying to process everything that has happened’ in an emotional farewell to Liora, 61, who died from brain cancer on Monday night.
Noa was rescued by IDF special forces in time to see her mother last month as doctors fought to keep her alive.
Hundreds gathered to pay their last respects as Liora was buried at the New Cemetery in Be’er Sheva in Southern Israel.
Noa’s father, Yaakov, 69, broke down several times and was supported by Noa throughout. They stood arm in arm and did not leave each other’s side, Noa’s face etched with pain.
Speaking at the funeral, Noa paid tribute to her mother. ‘I stand here today, still trying to process everything that has happened recently,’ she said.
Noa and her father at the funeral of Liora Argamani on Wednesday
Noa was seen being directed by her rescuers to a car before being pulled out of Gaza in a military helicopter and returned safely to a hospital in Ramat Gan
Liora had stage four cancer and had pleaded with Hamas for Noa’s release before her rescue
Noa and her father attend the ceremony in Be’er Sheva in southern Israel today
‘You fought like a lioness and never gave up on us. Now I understand that… Because Noa is home right now, you realised you no longer needed to worry about me,’ Yaakov said
‘Against all odds, I was fortunate to be with you in your final moments, to talk with you, laugh with you, and hear your last words.
‘Thank you for being strong and holding on all this time, just so I could see you at least one more time. Just so Dad wouldn’t be left alone.
‘Thank you for 26 years of being by my side every moment. For as long as I can remember, you were a role model for me, teaching me how to appreciate life’s little moments.
‘You took me travelling with you around the world and shaped me into the strong person I am today.
‘The tools you gave me as a little girl are ones I couldn’t have acquired anywhere else. You taught me to be strong and independent. Whenever things got tough, you pushed me forward…
‘I promise you I’ll continue on this path. I promise I’ll take care of Dad and look after him just as you did for 31 years.
‘I promise you I’ll be as strong as you were.
‘Mum, you will always be a part of me no matter where I go or who I meet. Your serenity and calmness will always be with me forever.
‘And as you used to tell me when I was a little girl – I love you to the moon and back.’
Yaakov, whose daughter was rescued on his birthday last month, then rose to say a few words. Speaking through tears, he said: ‘Nothing prepares you for the loss of the person you love most.
‘I wanted so much for you to stay with us a little longer. You fought like a lioness and never gave up on us. Now I understand that… Because Noa is home right now, you realised you no longer needed to worry about me.
‘Thank you so much, my beloved Liora. Thank you for all your wise advice. Thank you for always being there for me, every step of the way. You made me a better person.
‘You’ve all heard about my Liora, but it’s important for me to share with you what kind of person she was… Liora was a good, wise woman, an exemplary mother who raised our daughter Noa with values of honesty and love for humanity.
‘Liora always thought it important to approach everyone with respect and appreciation. I thank God for the precious time she gave us to be by her side. For over three decades together.
‘My beloved Liora, wait for me when I arrive. We’ll continue to be together for eternity.’
‘After at last being reunited with her in June, Liora ‘spent her final days alongside her daughter Noa,’ the hospital where she was being treated said in a statement announcing her passing
‘Thank you so much, my beloved Liora. Thank you for all your wise advice. Thank you for always being there for me, every step of the way. You made me a better person,’ Yaakov said today
Noa Argamani, then 25, was seen kidnapped on the back of motorbike during the horrifying October 7 attacks
Liora Argamani, Noa’s mother, had reached out to US president Joe Biden urging him to help rescue her daughter (pictured in November 2023)
Noa was able to celebrate her father Yakov’s birthday after spending more than seven months in Hamas captivity
Liora’s Chinese sister also gave a few words.
She said of her sibling: ‘As a younger sister of hers, she was my admired figure, she’s beautiful, kind in heart, smart and wise, independent and full of energy towards her life and her profession.
‘She was extremely attentive and passionate to the needs of her daughter and her husband, in fact she was very considerate to her father and siblings in China.
‘She was holding Chinese traditions very well both in China and in Israel. She had a beautiful, wonderful life. I myself, my mum, my eldest sister and younger brother are wishing Liora a beautiful life in heaven.’
The family then walked to the graveyard to bury Liora. They will now enter Shiva, the seven-day Jewish period of mourning.