Canadian-Israeli activist Vivian Silver was killed during Hamas attacks on October 7, her relatives confirmed Monday evening. Until recently, they held out hope of finding her alive among the hostages captured by the militant group more than five weeks ago.
The news was confirmed at Duty by Ariella Giniger, a friend of Vivian Silver, whom she met 10 years ago within the organization Women Wage Peace, which Mme Silver was co-founded after the 2014 Gaza war. “We are heartbroken,” the organization in question reacted on Facebook. “This is a terrible loss for his many friends around the world. »
“I am devastated, heartbroken and so sad,” said Mme Giniger, who took part in a peace march in Jerusalem alongside Ms.me Silver on October 4. She also retained “hope”, like several relatives, of possibly finding Mme Silver alive, among the hostages reportedly freed by Hamas. “I was wondering how to prepare prescription glasses for him. We talked about where she would go when she returned from Gaza, confides M.me Giniger.
Peace activist
However, the 74-year-old woman was instead killed on October 7 in the village in southern Israel where she lived, her family confirmed on Monday. Vivian Silver was in her house located in Kibbutz Be’eri, less than 10 km from the Gaza Strip, when Hamas carried out its deadly attacks, which caused the death of 1,200 people, according to the Israeli government. It has since bombarded Gaza daily, where more than 11,240 people have been killed, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas.
Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Vivan Silver moved to Israel around fifty years ago. Over the years, she has been involved in numerous community groups, notably to offer support to residents of the Gaza Strip, under Israeli blockade since 2007.
“Another peace-loving person, who dedicated his life to bringing Israelis and Palestinians together, was massacred by the enemy of Israelis and Palestinians, and by the enemy of peace,” he wrote on Facebook on Monday. Israeli writer and activist Hen Mazzig, who called Vivian Silver one of the “best-known activists for peace with the Palestinians.”
The funeral of Mme Silver should take place on Friday.