The remains of Arye Zalmanovich, the oldest hostage taken by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attacks, and Tamir Adar were returned to Israel from Gaza on Tuesday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the bodies of both men had been identified and families notified, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
The two coffins were transferred across the border and taken to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine for formal identification and cause-of-death investigations. The return marks the latest development in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks, with 15 of the 28 deceased hostages’ bodies having been returned as part of the US-backed ceasefire agreement signed on October 9.
Zalmanovich, 85, was abducted from his home at Kibbutz Nir Oz and is believed to have died in captivity on November 17. Described by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum as “a tough and modest man,” he was also a founder of the kibbutz.
Tamir Adar, aged 38, died defending Nir Oz during the attacks. His family remembers him as “sociable and beloved” with a sharp sense of humor.
The Israeli government expressed deep sorrow for the families of both men and all fallen hostages.
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