'We won't seek capital punishment'

Haim and Zila Fogel, parents of Udi who was murdered by terrorists along with his wife Ruth and three of their children, have come full circle. The Fogels have allowed a Ynet crew into their home after Sunday's report of the arrest of two suspects in the Itamar massacre.

"It's good they caught them before Passover, we've come full circle. We want to close this chapter as soon as possible and start to rehabilitate the children, which is the most important thing," Haim said. 

He is finding it hard to come to terms with the murderers' identities. "You see those are people, people who committed these heinous crimes," he said.

"During the shiva we kept thinking – maybe it would turn out to be something else, a crazy person. Now it's clear – this was an act of hate and it's seeping through. While the Palestinian Authority might say they condemn the crime, I still blame them."

The grandfather, who has lost five members of his family in the terror attack, said has no plans to launch a campaign to promote capital punishment for the terrorists.

"They didn't escape, didn't allow the security forces to kill them. They will go to jail, have fun there, study. But I'm not the one who decides on punishment and we shall not launch a capital punishment campaign. Our goal is that they be punished in the most severe way, them and their families."

"People like them, even if they receive five life sentences – will receive the greatest honor in prison," Haim added. "We are left with our mourning, left with the grandchildren and are forced to continue coping."

Tzila Fogel. 'We will hold Seder despite difficulties' (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Tamar Fogel and two of her younger brothers, who were saved from the massacre, are staying with their slain mother's parents - the Ben Yishai family. 

"We will spend Passover together like one very big family. We embrace them, but no one really knows what they are going through," Ruth's parent's said. 

The publication of the names of the murder suspects just ahead of the holiday did not surprise Tzila Fogel. "I had a feeling that it will be published before Passover – there's something ironic about it. But the true gift is the children that survived. 

"The night of the Seder," she noted, "will be difficult at first, but we will hold it nevertheless. The kids and grandkids will be here and we bought all of them gifts. It will be difficult, but we will rejoice, because we are told to rejoice on the Seder night," Tzila noted.

"We will celebrate the Seder with Tzila's delicious food, along with all the people of Israel," concluded Haim.

Hakim Awad and Amjad Awad confessed to their involvement in the murder of five member of the Fogel family in Itamar, and said that they sought to carry out a terror attack in order to kill Israelis. They expressed no regret over the murders. 

The families of the two suspects refused to believe the two committed the massacre. Hakim Awad's mother, Nawef, claimed that her son was at home the night of the murder and never left the house.

"Five months ago Hakim underwent a surgery in his stomach and I'm sure he was tortured and forced into confessing." 

• Follow Ynetnews on Facebook