The bodies of four hostages — Ohad Yahalomi, Tzachi Idan, Yitzhak Elgart, and Shlomo Mantzur, kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and held captive in Gaza for over 16 months, were returned to Israel early Thursday morning.
In exchange for the remains of the four murdered hostages, Israel agreed to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, whose release was delayed due to Hamas's "humiliating ceremonies" with Israeli hostages. They were given "release certificates" and postcards with views of Gaza, and then forced to speak on stage.
After receiving the coffins, the Red Cross handed them over to the Israel Defense Forces, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported early Thursday morning. This transfer of bodies concluded the first phase of the truce agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Tzachi was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, and his 18-year-old daughter Maayan was killed by terrorists. In August 2024, Idan's wife told CNN that she had not yet been to her daughter's grave and was waiting for Tzachi. "I have to go and see her," she said. "But I can't. I need Tzachi to be here. We have to do this together. He must mourn with me. We must support each other in this."
85-year-old Shlomo Mantzur was killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, and his body had been held since then, announced Kibbutz Kissufim earlier this month.
Hamas kidnapped Franco-Israeli citizen Ohad Yahalomi from Kibbutz Nir Oz, shooting him in the leg — the 49-year-old man tried to fend off militants who broke into his home. On October 7, 2023, upon learning of the approaching terrorists, Ohad locked his wife Batsheva and three children in a safe room. The door handle of the room broke, and the family could not securely lock themselves inside, so Ohad sat in front of the door and guarded his family, armed only with a hand machine gun for protection. The terrorists still kidnapped his relatives, but his wife and two daughters managed to escape before they were taken to Gaza.
68-year-old Yitzhak Elgart was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, where he had followed his brother and worked as a gardener for many years. He called his younger brother around 11:30 a.m. on October 7 and reported that he was wounded in the arm while closing the door to the safe room.
Photo: Jerusalem Post