Hostage whose remains were recovered by the IDF was executed by Hamas

Buchshtav’s death in captivity was announced in July, and his body, along with those of five others, was recovered by the IDF in August.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Hostage Yagev Buchshtav, whose body was recovered by the IDF in July, was murdered by Hamas as Israeli forces came to rescue him, according to an autopsy report.

Buchshtav’s death in captivity was announced in July, and his body, along with those of five others, was recovered by the IDF in August.

Yagev Buchshtav’s mother, Esther, said he was killed in February when the IDF attempted to rescue him, and she addressed the Knesset on Monday with harsh criticism of the policy of trying to free hostages through military pressure.

She said, “My son was kidnapped alive… He should have returned alive. He returned dead. Murdered.”

She added, “The army was close to the tunnel, and they were executed. That’s what comes from military pressure.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that military pressure is the best way to free hostages.

In June, a joint IDF, ISA, and Israel Police (Yamam) mission was carried out in Nuseirat.

In two separate locations, four Israeli hostages were rescued: Noa Argamani (25), Almog Meir Jan (21), Andrey Kozlov (27), and Shlomi Ziv (40).

Arnon Zmora was fatally wounded in the operation and died in hospital a few hours later, and the mission was called Operation Arnon in his honor.

Hamas officials have cited the operation in Nuseirat as a reason for changing their tactics and killing hostages if the IDF approaches on a rescue mission.

Referring to the IDF rescue of four hostages in Nuseirat in June, the al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obaida wrote on Telegram, “Let it be clear to everyone that, following the incident in Nuseirat, new instructions have been issued to the Mujahideen tasked with guarding the prisoners.”

He said, “These instructions outline how to handle the situation if the occupation army approaches the location where the prisoners are being held.”

He continued, “Netanyahu’s insistence on liberating the prisoners through military pressure instead of concluding a deal will mean that they will return to their families inside coffins, and their families will have to choose whether they are dead or alive.”

On September 1st, the bodies of 6 Israeli hostages were discovered in the tunnel by the IDF, and forensic evidence showed they were killed by Hamas shortly before the soldiers came to rescue them.