Shlomo Mantzur Photo: Bringthemhomenow
Kibbutz Kissufim announced on Tuesday the death of Shlomo Mantzur, the oldest Israeli hostage abducted by Hamas militants on 7 October 2023. According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), according to intelligence, 86-year-old Mantzur was killed on the same day he was abducted from his home, The Jerusalem Postreports.
“It was with heavy hearts that we received the news of the murder of our dear friend Shlomo Mantzur in Hamas captivity,” the kibbutz said in a statement. “Shlomo was not just a member of our community – he was a father, grandfather, friend and the living soul of Kissufim. This is one of the darkest days in the history of our kibbutz.”
Mantzur’s family was informed that terrorists have been holding his body in the Gaza Strip for 494 days. The Kibbutz called on the Israeli authorities and world leaders to “act decisively to return all hostages, dead and alive”.
The fate of the hostage and the decision to kill him
Mantzur was one of 33 hostages to be released under the ceasefire agreement. Although Hamas has not officially disclosed the names of the dead hostages, it told mediators that the bodies of eight dead would be returned along with 25 living prisoners.
The decision to confirm his death is based on intelligence gathered in recent months. It was made by a panel of experts from the Israeli Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the police.
The life of Shlomo Mantsur
Born in Iraq, Manzur immigrated to Israel with his family as a child after surviving the Farhud massacre in Baghdad in 1941. He became one of the founders of Kibbutz Kissufim.
On 7 October, he was abducted from his home in front of his wife. The terrorists took him to Gaza in his own car. At the time, he weighed just over 54 kilograms, which raised particular concerns about his health in captivity.
His family never gave up hope for his rescue. His granddaughter Noam Safir said in an interview:
“He is the one who holds our family together. We just want him to come home.”
Reaction of Israeli officials
The Hostage Families Forum stated that it “shares the deep pain of the Mantsur family”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences and emphasised: “We will not rest and we will not shut up until Mantzur’s body is returned to Israel for a decent burial.”
Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz emphasised: “We will continue to work in every way possible to bring back all the hostages, dead and alive. This is our moral obligation.”
National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz recalled Mantzur’s contribution to the development of Israel: “We hoped he would come home. He was one of those who built this land.”
