A LOVING father who came home in time for his daughter’s birthday found all his three children and his wife gone — kidnapped by Hamas.
Avichai Brodutch, 42, was away from the family’s kibbutz when terrorists swarmed out of Gaza on October 7.
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He returned to discover wife Hagar, 40, and their children Yuval, eight, and Uriah, four, were missing along with Ofri — due to celebrate her 10th birthday the next day.
Trying not to give up hope, he said her cake remained in the fridge, ready for a delayed party when she is finally released.
And knowing that media-savvy Hamas likely keeps tabs on the international press, he made a direct appeal to his family’s captors through The Sun.
Praying it reaches the terror group, he said: “Please, don’t hurt them.
“Take care of them and please, let them go.
“You can look into my children’s eyes and know that they are innocent.
“They are just kids and have never hurt anyone. They don’t deserve to be in this position.
“If you look into their eyes I know that you know what the right thing to do is.
“My wife is a loving and caring person, she has no hate in her.
“I hope you are taking good care of them.
“I don’t see how anyone can harm them and I am sure you will not.
“I hope you are caring for them until the day that you finally let them go.”
At first Avichai feared his family were among the 1,400 slaughtered when he could not find them at the Kfar Aza kibbutz.
But he later got word they were among 229 hostages snatched and taken back to Gaza.
He has been staging a one-man vigil outside the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv as he tries to pressure the Israeli government into doing as much as possible to bring back the hostages alive.
Desperate loved ones have plastered hundreds of posters showing photos of the hostages.
It is a wall both of hope and of heartache.
One snap shows a nine-month-old named Kfir, clutching a toy with the message: “Kidnapped from his home by Hamas”.
Next to it is a poster showing 80-year-old Carmella Dan.
Heartbreakingly the word “kidnapped” has had to be scribbled out with a marker pen and replaced with “murdered”.
Avichai, who worked as a farmer before he began training as a nurse in what he describes as his mid-life crisis, fought back tears as he looked at the A5-sized posters of his wife and kids on the wall.
He told how he and his wife, the leader of their kibbutz, had been planning a day to remember for Ofri.
He said: “It was Ofri’s birthday the day after the attacks but we planned to celebrate with the cake on the Saturday, the day of the attack.
“That cake is still waiting for her in the fridge.
“She loves playing guitar so I have got her guitar with me and now I play it and I really miss her.”
Of his youngest Uriah, he bravely joked: “He looks nice here but usually he just makes a big noise and breaks stuff.”
Avichai is particularly fearful for son Yuval.
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He explained: “He is a really sensitive child so I am a bit worried about him — he is the sensitive type so I am hoping they are keeping him well.
“He loves soccer and playing on his X box.”
The dad went on: “I love my wife very much.
“We have known each other for 22 years and she means everything to me.
“Everyone who has ever met her has always loved her.
“The whole kibbutz misses her and wishes for her return soon.
“She is strong and I know she will be keeping it together for the kids and they will be taking care of her as well.” He went on: “I have got this mission to bring them back.
“I stay focused on that and everyone is giving me lots of strength.
“I miss my wife and kids so much and I want them back.”
The wall of posters also includes Yosi Sharabi, 52, the uncle of Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, whose funerals The Sun attended last week after they were murdered along with mum Lianne, 48.
The spot on a major intersection has become the public focus for the campaign to free the hostages.
Motorists honk their horns when they pass by as volunteers wave signs and tie yellow ribbons to car wing mirrors.
Gran Dafna Sheer, 70, said: “I cannot imagine what it must be like for the families.
“This is the only thing I could think of to do to help them.”
Some families have criticised the Israeli government for not doing enough to secure the hostages’ release.
They also fear their lives are at an even greater risk since Israel embarked on an intensified shelling campaign on Friday night which has seen no let-up.
But officials insist that the welfare of the abductees remains a priority.
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