Israeli-American hostage Gadi Haggai has been declared dead

Gadi Haggai and his wife Judi. (Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum)

The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum announced Friday that Gadi Haggai, a 73-year-old Israeli-American hostage taken captive by Hamas, has died.

His wife, Judi, who also has American citizenship, still remains a hostage. Gadi Haggai is the first American hostage to have died in the conflict.

"Gadi was a man full of humor who knew how to make those around him laugh. A musician at heart, a gifted flutist, he played in the IDF Orchestra and was involved with music his whole life," the Forum said in a statement.

It added that on the morning of Oct. 7, Gadi and Judi went "for their regular morning walk in the fields and vineyards" of Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel when they were kidnapped by Hamas.

"Judi managed to notify friends that they had been shot and that Gadi was critically injured -- it was the last contact with them," the Forum said.