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Courtesy the family/TPS-IL on 26 February, 2025
Remains of Four Hostages Positively Identified, At Least Two Were Murdered in Captivity
Jerusalem, 27 February, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- Israeli pathologists examining the remains of four hostages returned overnight confirmed their identities on Thursday morning and concluded that at least two were murdered in captivity.
Kibbutz Nir Oz announced that Ohad Yahalomi, a French-Israeli national, was killed in Gaza.
“For years, he worked at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, dedicating his life to the preservation of nature. Out of his deep love for the desert, he co-authored a scorpion field guide with partners and was involved in educational initiatives within the Bedouin community,” the kibbutz said.
Yahalomi was shot during a gun battle with terrorists while trying to protect his family on October 7. Also taken captive was his 12-year-old son, Eitan, who was freed in November 2023. His partner Bat Sheva and two younger daughters managed to escape captivity right before arriving at the border. Ohad was last seen in a Hamas propaganda video released in January 2024. Yahalomi is survived by his wife and three children.
Nir Oz also announced that Itzik Elgarat, a Danish-Israeli national was murdered.
“For years, he served the kibbutz with dedication as a groundskeeper and was responsible for plumbing, gas, and steam maintenance,” the kibbutz said, adding, “We will remember him for his laughter, his big heart, and his willingness to always be there for anyone in need.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that the remains of Shlomo Mansour were also identified.
A native of Iraq, Mansour was a survivor of Baghdad’s 1941 “Farhud,” a two-day pogrom in which 180 Jews were killed, 900 homes destroyed and Jewish property looted. A carpenter and craftsman, Mansour was abducted from his home on Kibbutz Kissufim on the morning of October 7. The Israel Defense Forces declared Mansor dead based on intelligence in February. Mansour is survived by his wife of 60 years, children and grandchildren.
The Forum mourned Mansour as “an energetic and cheerful man dedicated to giving, a polymath with a strong work ethic.”
Last to be confirmed was was Tsahi Idan. The Nir Oz resident was taken captive after terrorists shot and killed his 18-year-old daughter in front of him. Idan, a sports enthusiast who worked in high tech, is survived by his wife and two children.
“The unbearable journey of our family to bring back our beloved and precious Tsahi from the hell of Gaza has come to an end,” the family said.
The completion of Wednesday night’s exchange will mark the conclusion of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. The fate of the remaining 59 hostages is to be determined by negotiations. Critics say the phased approach condemns them to open-ended captivity and undermines Israel’s war gains.
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 32 are believed to be dead.
