Oldest Israeli hostage Shlomo Mansour confirmed killed by Hamas on Oct 7, body taken to Gaza

The oldest Israeli hostage taken to Gaza, Shlomo Mansour, was killed on Oct. 7, 2023, and his body taken by Hamas to the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Tuesday morning. 

IDF officials notified Mansour’s family this morning that he was killed during the Oct. 7 onslaught, the military said in a statement. 

Mansour was murdered in the attack on Kibbutz Kissufim and his body was taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists. His death was declared by a panel of health experts and members of the rabbinate, based on intelligence obtained by the IDF in recent months. 

Following the announcement of Mansour’s death, 36 of the remaining 76 hostages in the Gaza Strip, have been confirmed dead. 

As the oldest hostage, Mansour’s story garnered significant media attention both in the days immediately after the attacks and throughout the Gaza War. 

His family regularly spoke out at events calling for the release of the hostages. As recently as last month, they allowed one of his unfinished artworks to be displayed as part of a Holocaust Memorial Day exhibit in London. 

Kibbutz Kissufim, where Shlomo Mansour lived since helping found the kibbutz in 1951, released a statement, mourning his death. 

“With heavy hearts, we, the members of the kibbutz, received the news this morning of the murder in Hamas captivity of our dear friend, Shlomo Mansour, 86, who was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Kissufim in the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023,” the statement read. 

“This is one of the most difficult days in the history of our kibbutz. Shlomo was much more than a community member to us – he was a father, a grandfather, a true friend and the beating heart of Kissufim. His smile, humility, and human warmth were an inspiration to us all. Our hearts are broken that we were unable to bring him back to us alive. The entire community grieves his loss and is united in grief and pain.” 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement of condolence for Mansour’s family, calling him “one of the builders of the country.” 

“My wife Sarah and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Shlomo Mansour, upon receiving the bitter news of his murder by the terrorist organization Hamas,” Netanyahu’s statement read. “The late Shlomo was one of the builders of the country and the founders of Kibbutz Kissufim.” 

Netanyahu referred to Mansour’s difficult past, surviving the Arab pogroms ("Farhud") following significant growth of the Zionist project in Israel during the British Mandate. His family made Aliyah to Israel following their escape from Iraq. 

“He survived the Farhud riots in Iraq in his youth,” Netanyahu continued. “During the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas murderers on October 7, he was murdered and kidnapped to Gaza.” 

“We share in the family's deep grief. We will not rest or be silent until he is returned to the grave of Israel,” the prime minister promised. “We will continue to act resolutely and tirelessly until we return all of our hostages - both living and dead. May his memory be blessed.” 

President Isaac Herzog expressed his grief in a message on 𝕏, calling the announcement of his death “bitter and painful news.” 

I send all my support and strength to the Mansour family and the community of Kibbutz Kissufim, who have received the bitter and painful news of the murder of Shlomo Mansour, who was taken hostage on October 7.

About a month ago, I had the privilege of meeting his incredible… pic.twitter.com/SaGvDbOsIG

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) February 11, 2025

Defense Minister Israel Katz also posted a message of condolence to his 𝕏 social media account. 

“I would like to extend my condolences and hugs to the family of the late Shlomo Mansour, one of the founders of Kibbutz Kissufim, who was murdered on October 7 by the terrorist organization Hamas and whose body is being held in Gaza,” Katz posted. “We will continue to work in every way to return all the abductees, living and dead. This is our moral duty and our highest goal. May his memory be blessed.” 

Mansour was one of the 33 hostages to be released as part of the current hostage exchange ceasefire deal. While Hamas did not specify which of the hostages are alive and which are dead, the terror group notified mediators that it would be releasing the bodies of eight hostages as part of the exchange. 

Shlomo was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Kissufim in front of his wife. The military assesses that at some point after leaving his home, he was murdered, and his body taken to Gaza.  

Meanwhile, the family of twin hostages Gali and Ziv Berman announced Tuesday morning that they had received a sign of life of both two brothers. The brothers were kidnapped from Kfar Aza on Oct. 7, 2023. 

“We are taking a breath on one hand, but we know whose hands they are in and how much danger their lives are in,” the family said in a statement to media. 

The boys aunt, Maccabit Meyer, told Kan 11 News that the brothers are not being held together, but they are alive. 

“There is a sigh of relief but also fear,” she told Kan. “We received signs of life from those who returned in the last phase at the start of the deal. The two are not being held together, but they are alive and in mortal danger.” 

Being military age men, neither Gali or Ziv were slated for release in the first phase of the hostage release deal. They, and all the other male hostages, were to be released in the second phase.

Negotiations for the second phase were slated to begin on Sunday, however, despite sending a delegation to Doha, Qatar, Prime Minister Netanyahu is reportedly seeking to delay the start of those negotiations following his visit to the United States.