Shlomo Mansour was killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7th, officials from his hometown say, while family of twin brothers held hostage say they have received a sign of life.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
An elderly Israeli hostage taken captive by Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, invasion was among those massacred that day, officials from his hometown announced on Tuesday morning.
Octogenarian Shlomo Mansour was among the 251 people abducted by Gaza terrorists that day.
Kibbutz Kissufim, the Gaza border community where Mansour resided, issued a statement saying that he was murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
“With a heavy heart, we kibbutz members 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 reads in part.
“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,” the kibbutz said.
“His smile, modesty 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.”
Due to his advanced age, Mansour had been included in the list of 33 Israeli hostages slated for release during the first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Prior to Tuesday, however, there were no reports that Mansour had been killed in captivity.
According to Hamas, eight of the hostages slated for release are dead, though the terror group has not identified which captives are no longer alive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Mansour had been murdered on October 7 and offered his condolences in a statement.
“My wife Sara and I convey our heartfelt condolences to the family of Shlomo Mansour, of blessed memory, upon receiving the bitter news regarding his having been murdered by the Hamas terror organization,” Netanyahu said.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Mansour was a refugee from the Fahrud, a series of deadly pogroms against Jews in Iraq. Mansour was also one of the founders of Kibbutz Kissufim.
“During the brutal terrorist assault by the Hamas murderers on October 7, he was murdered and abducted to Gaza,” Netanyahu continued.
“We share in the family’s deep mourning. We will neither rest nor be silent until he is returned for burial in Israel. We will continue to take determined and relentless action until we return all of our hostages – the living and the deceased.”
Also on Tuesday, the family of twin brothers taken hostage on October 7 reported receiving a sign of life from them.
Relatives of Gali Berman and his brother Ziv, 27, of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, said they have received information regarding their condition.
“We take a deep breath, but we know whose hands they are in and how much danger their lives are in,” the family said.
