Brother of murdered Hamas hostage criticizes PM advisor Yonatan Urich

David Danino, whose brother Uri was murdered by Hamas, has sharply criticized a social media post by Yonatan Urich, an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Urich's post on X referred to Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, stating she had "spared me execution." Danino found this comment infuriating, especially given the context of his brother's death.

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I go on Twitter and see the man making a joke. I have no problem with a person saying whatever he wants about anything, saying that he is innocent and didn’t do it. But when you use the cynical words ‘spared me execution,’ while we all remember what happened there, it is infuriating.

"I go on Twitter and see the man making a joke," Danino said during a radio interview on 103fm. "I have no problem with a person saying whatever he wants about anything, saying that he is innocent and didn’t do it. But when you use the cynical words ‘spared me execution,’ while we all remember what happened there, it is infuriating."

Danino explained that his brother Uri was among six hostages initially slated for release in the first deal after 55 days. These hostages, including two women and two wounded individuals, were held for nearly 300 days before being "shot and executed in that dark tunnel." Danino posted on X to confront Urich, aiming to bring him "back down to earth, and for him to have a little shame on his face."

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The purpose of my tweet was to try to bring him back down to earth, and for him to have a little shame on his face.

The loss has profoundly changed Danino, who described his brother as his best friend and father figure. He is now a law and criminology student at Hebrew University and a junior academic officer in the IDF. He reflected on his past disagreements with his brother about military enlistment, noting how his own perspective has shifted.

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These people remained there for nearly another 300 days, and in the end, they were shot and executed in that dark tunnel. And you write, ‘spared me execution?'

Danino also shared his views on the enlistment of the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community, stating that while studying is important, those not exclusively dedicated to it should serve like other young people. He offered condolences to the family of IDF Sgt. Noam Yanai, who died in battle and served in the same battalion as Uri Danino, highlighting the ongoing toll of the conflict.

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My older brother was my best friend, sometimes he was also my father; he was everything to me, and he is simply gone. I chose a different path in life.