The IDF retrieved on Thursday the body of Ilan Weiss, who was killed on October 7 at Kibbutz Be'eri and taken to Gaza. Furthermore, the remains of another deceased person were retrieved from the Gaza Strip, whose identity has not yet been released for publication.
Weiss served on the kibbutz emergency response unit. On October 7, he departed his residence at 7:15 a.m., and communication with him ceased thereafter. In January 2024, the family received notification that Ilan was no longer alive.
The attackers first kidnapped the family's mother, Shiri, aged 53, and ignited the house. Noga, his daughter aged 18, concealed herself beneath a bed in the protected room, but with flames growing stronger, she escaped via the protected room window and concealed herself in vegetation, until being found and kidnapped too. Both were freed in the second wave in November 2023.
"Never wavered for an instant"
Daughter Noga addressed a recent gathering conducted in Nir Oz and described the horrific morning her family endured in Be'eri: "I was home with my parents, Shiri and Ilan Weiss. When communication ceased with the security coordinator, they requested that my father go to the weapons storage and unlock it. He was already aware of terrorist penetration, but also understood they required him. He never wavered for an instant – and departed."
Noga additionally described her kidnapping moments: "That morning, I was still unaware that dad was killed when he went to the weapons storage and was taken to Gaza. Mom and I barricaded ourselves in the protected room. We heard increasing gunfire outside, along with shouts and total pandemonium. When shooting from outside breached the protected room door, and a round was embedded in the door, we realized we faced immediate peril. At 10:30 a.m., the attackers persisted and fired at the home's entrance repeatedly until they succeeded in breaching it. They ignited the home. I was certain that day I would die."
"Following nearly an hour of hesitation, I chose to exit the home. I chose death by bullets over burning. Quicker, less agonizing. I concealed myself in vegetation, and the attackers located me. They forced my arms into the car, struck me, and yanked my hair. Another ten minutes, and I had reached Gaza."
"Grateful to the security personnel"
The Hope Forum of hostage families announced: "We join in the Weiss family's sorrow with Ilan Weiss of blessed memory's return for interment in Israel. Ilan was killed on Simchat Torah, October 7, in the savage and Nazi slaughter executed by the Hamas terror group. We are grateful to the security personnel and IDF troops who worked to bring Ilan for interment in the Land of Israel. We stand with you in your anguish, support you, and walk with you through these hard days."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to the retrieval: "In an IDF and Shin Bet mission in the Gaza Strip, the remains of Ilan Weiss of blessed memory were brought home after being kept by the murderous Hamas terror group. In the mission, evidence of another deceased hostage whose identity has not yet been released for publication was brought back. The evidence is presently undergoing identification processes at the Institute of Forensic Medicine."
"Ilan Weiss, champion of courage, served on the community emergency response unit of Kibbutz Be'eri. He was killed on October 7, 2023, while going to protect the kibbutz, and his remains were kidnapped. His spouse, Shiri, and daughter, Noga, were kidnapped and freed from imprisonment in November 2023."
"Along with all Israeli citizens, my spouse and I extend our most profound sympathies to the precious families and join in their deep sorrow. I am grateful to our leaders and combatants for a successful mission, for their resolve and bravery. The effort to bring back the hostages proceeds continuously; we shall not pause and shall not cease until we bring back all our hostages, both living and deceased, together."
"Holding the Weiss family"
President Isaac Herzog published on his X platform: "I hold the Weiss family and the Kibbutz Be'eri residents, upon learning about the retrieval of hostage Ilan Weiss of blessed memory's remains. 692 days after Ilan was kidnapped and his spouse Shiri and daughter Noga were kidnapped too, who came back in the initial hostage agreement, his remains were retrieved yesterday in a coordinated IDF and Shin Bet mission. An instance of profound grief, yet also of finding comfort in the end."
"Ilan of blessed memory demonstrated courage and noble character when he went to battle the attackers on that dark Saturday. Through his death, he bestowed life. I was privileged to encounter his spouse and daughters multiple times, who, amid the enormous catastrophe, showed remarkable power and battled fiercely for his return for interment in Israel."
Defense Minister Israel Katz: "In a courageous mission directed by the IDF along with the Shin Bet, the remains of Ilan Weiss of blessed memory were brought back, a Be'eri kibbutz member who was killed and kidnapped by Hamas killers on October 7, plus evidence of an additional hostage whose identity has not yet been released for publication."
"Ilan of blessed memory served as deputy leader of the community emergency response unit in Be'eri, who courageously directed the defensive fight in the kibbutz and averted a larger catastrophe, together with additional heroes. Representing the complete defense system, I extend profound sympathies to his family. I want to convey profound recognition to our courageous combatants who endanger themselves daily and nightly to bring back all hostages – both living and deceased, together. We shall not pause and shall not cease until all come back - that is the primary objective of the forthcoming maneuver."
The Kibbutz Be'eri residents announced: "We join in the deep sorrow of Ilan Weiss of blessed memory's family, upon learning of his return to Israel from imprisonment, and want to hold and support his spouse Shiri, his three daughters - Meital, Ma'ayan and Noga, and the whole family, and trust there is comfort during this hard and challenging moment, in that Ilan will rest in Be'eri's earth that he cherished deeply, and protecting which he died."
49 stay imprisoned
Following the retrieval, 49 hostages remain in Hamas' imprisonment. Based on defense system evaluations, approximately 20 remain living, though over the past weekend, President Trump stated that another one or two among the 20 hostages are no longer living. The families and all of Israeli society persist in calling for the urgent return of all remaining hostages.
