Woman with ties to Ottawa killed in Israel conflict
Adi Vital-Kaploun 'murdered by terrorists in her home, just for being Jewish,' family says
The Jewish Federation of Ottawa has confirmed Adi Vital-Kaploun, who has family ties to Ottawa, was killed in the Hamas attacks in Israel.
The federation spoke on behalf of Vital-Kaploun's family Wednesday afternoon.
Andrea Freedman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, read a statement from the family of Vital-Kaploun.
"Our family lost a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, a niece, a cousin," Freedman said. "Her children are miraculously home and safe.
"She was murdered by terrorists in her home, just for being Jewish."
Freedman said Vital-Kaploun, 33, was a proud dual citizen of Canada and Israel from an Ottawa family with deep community ties. Vital-Kaploun grew up and lived in Israel but had a large extended family in Ottawa, Freedman said.
At the request of the family, Freedman said she would not be taking any questions on the circumstances of the death but clarified Vital-Kaploun was killed on her kibbutz, a communal farm.
The burial will take place in Israel, Freedman said.
Mayor spoke to family
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he had been in touch with a family in the city who'd lost a loved one to the conflict in Israel.
"Yesterday I spoke with someone who has lost a family member in Israel, someone who was killed by the terrorists," Sutcliffe told reporters during a scrum at city hall Wednesday morning.
"It breaks my heart to see what's happening there," he said. "My thoughts are with all of the victims and all of the families in Ottawa who have been affected by what's been happening."
Sutcliffe later posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, that Vital-Kaploun was the granddaughter of longtime ByWard Market shop owner Irving Rivers.
The Irving Rivers store, located at the intersection of York Street and ByWard Market Square, has been in business for more than 70 years.
I was devastated to learn of the murder of Adi Vital-Kaploun, the granddaughter of longtime ByWard Market shop owner Irving Rivers, during the terrorist attacks in Israel. I spoke with Adi's mother and family members today to offer my support and my deepest condolences on behalf…
—@_MarkSutcliffeTwo Canadians are confirmed dead, and a third is presumed dead as a result of the conflict, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly.
Global Affairs Canada has not confirmed Vital-Kaploun's identity.
Currently, 4,227 Canadians are registered in Israel with the federal government's registry of Canadians abroad, and another 475 are registered in the Palestinian territories, according to Global Affairs Canada.
Joly's comments come after the Palestinian militant group Hamas staged an attack on Israel last weekend, firing rockets, killing civilians and taking hostages.
The attack prompted Israel to declare war on Hamas with attacks of its own. Israel has also ordered what it has described as a complete siege of Gaza, blocking everything from electricity and fuel to food and water from entering.
According to Rabbi Idan Scher with Congregation Machzikei Hadas, Vital-Kaploun was a Canadian citizen and has a large family in the city.
Scher said she grew up attending summer camp with her many cousins and friends in Ottawa, but would not comment further on what he described as a "painful death."