Arie Zalmanowicz, 86, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz who was taken alive but killed in Hamas captivity, was brought back Monday to Israel together with Staff Sergeant Major (res.) Tamir Adar, 38 after the Hamas handover to the Red Cross on Tuesday night, as part of the ongoing implementation of the ceasefire deal brokered in early October. The Prime Minister's Office stated that after completing identification procedures at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, IDF officials informed the families about their loved ones' return.
Arie, called "Zalman," was father to two sons and grandfather to five grandchildren. Throughout his life he was a man of the soil who worked in agriculture and field crops, and specialized in cultivating wheat under the difficult Negev conditions. He was a countryside person with broad knowledge of history and the Land of Israel.
"I witnessed his murder"
The rescue of a living hostage revealed what the killers did to Zalman in captivity. The hostage Farhan Qadi, rescued from a tunnel in the southern Strip through a complex operation, described that soon after the abduction he was moved to an apartment rather than a tunnel, and there he witnessed one of his fellow captives dying, as the terrorists recorded it.
"Right after that they recorded me as well, and then I witnessed his murder," Farhan stated. It later emerged that this was Arie Zalmanowicz.
Approximately 40 days following his abduction, Hamas released a 28-second video showing Zalmanowicz lying on a bed, attached to a monitor and saying he doesn't feel well. Subsequently Arie appears motionless and covered in a white sheet.
On Saturday October 7, Zalman awoke at 6:29 a.m. to a "Color Red" alert indicating there were incoming projectiles. He conversed multiple times with his family and informed them about the situation. He even prepared himself a cup of coffee, which stayed behind in the safe room as a mute witness.
Near 10:00 a.m. the terrorists broke into his home. They smashed the safe room door, struck him on the head with a club, aimed a gun at his temple and offered him a choice between dying immediately or being taken captive. Zalman, despite being an elderly and unwell man, chose life and resolved to mount the motorcycle with the terrorists toward Gaza.
In the "There Were Homes There" project by Israel Hayom commemorating two years since October 7, his family described him: His wife Ruth died many years earlier and he resided alone. Agriculture formed the core of his life and activities. Zalman was a conversationalist with broad knowledge of history and the Land of Israel and possessed a remarkable stamp collection. He was an honest, modest, self-reliant worker, an idealist who rarely showed his emotions. Zalman viewed the kibbutz as his life's fulfillment and his home, and the community as his family.
In captivity Zalman struggled to survive without medicine and food. He remained with several friends from Nir Oz and other locations. They told the family about his final terrible days, and his family hopes their presence helped alleviate somewhat his suffering and isolation.
Tamir was a family person
Tamir Adar (38), married to Hadas and father to Asaf and Neta. Third generation in Kibbutz Nir Oz, the kibbutz's first grandson.
As part of Nir Oz's standby squad, Tamir departed his home to protect the kibbutz on October 7's morning. During a courageous battle he waged with his friends he sustained very serious wounds, was taken captive and didn't survive the injury. The death announcement came in January 2024. His grandmother, Yafa Adar, was likewise abducted and released from captivity in the initial hostage agreement.
Tamir was a family person, someone who loved people and nature, a farmer and educator professionally. A person of dialogue, possessing broad knowledge about nearly every topic. He was a dedicated supporter of Maccabi Tel Aviv, constantly surrounded by friends and beloved by all.
He was someone of nature, wide spaces, music and dancing. He greatly loved birds of prey and would observe them with binoculars while working the fields and during trips. He felt renewed excitement each morning from watching sunrises and enjoyed viewing the sunset with Hadas and the children from Nir Oz's fields.
