Hamas releases bodies of two Nir Oz hostages

Hamas has returned the bodies of two more hostages, which the group says it recovered from Gaza yesterday. The remains of Tamir Adar and Arie Zalmanowicz, both residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz, were transferred to the IDF via the Red Cross last night. A short ceremony was held for them during the handover, led by IDF Chief Rabbi Brigadier General Eyal Krim. Described as a "farmer by blood" by his neighbours, 85-year-old Arie was kidnapped from his home on the kibbutz on October 7. Footage circulated online of him, bloodied and visibly wounded, being abducted on the back of a motorcycle. By December 2023, he had been declared dead, with Israeli authorities saying, based on the testimony of freed hostages, that he had been murdered on November 17. According to former hostage Farhan al-Qadi, who was rescued by IDF troops in August 2024, Arie, a diabetic, had died due to lack of treatment and neglect. A statement from Nir Oz said: "He was a man of agriculture, manual labour, and blue work clothes. "He was a farmer by blood who knew how to appreciate and value the land and weather, understanding their impact on our lives." Tamir, meanwhile, was the kibbutz' deputy security director and went out to fight Hamas terrorists as they invaded the area. Telling his wife and children to stay locked in their home's secure room, he was killed in the resulting firefight and his body taken back to Gaza. His family was only informed of his death in January 2024 and he was posthumously promoted to Master Sergeant (res). Tamir's grandmother, Yaffa Adar, was also kidnapped but was released 48 days later. His family said in a statement: "He was a family man, who loved nature and people. He was a devoted fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv and was always surrounded by friends." The returns bring the total number of hostages still held in Gaza, all of whom are confirmed dead, to 13. They have been named as Sahar Baruch, Itay Chen, Amiram Cooper, Oz Daniel, Meny Godard, Hadar Goldin, Ran Gvili, Asaf Hamami, Joshua Mollel, Omer Neutra, Dror Or, Sudthisak Rinthalak and Lior Rudaeff.

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