The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in collaboration with the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, Israel Police, and Military Rabbinate, confirmed the identification of Eliyahu Margalit’s body, allowing his family to proceed with burial. Margalit, a 75-year-old resident of Nir Oz, was abducted from the kibbutz’s horse stables during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and murdered that day, with his body taken to Gaza. His death was officially pronounced on December 1, 2023. He is survived by his wife, three children, and grandchildren. His daughter, Nili Margalit, was also kidnapped but released in November 2023 under a hostage deal.

The IDF expressed deep condolences, emphasizing its commitment to recovering all deceased hostages and implementing the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, which facilitated recent hostage releases. The IDF called on Hamas to fulfill its obligations to return all hostages, living or deceased, for dignified burials, warning that non-compliance risks derailing the fragile peace process.

This development follows reports of Hamas’s ongoing violence in Gaza, including executions, highlighting the challenges in enforcing the agreement. Margalit’s identification brings closure to his family but underscores the enduring pain of the October 7 attack, which killed 1,200.