Deceased hostages Amiram Cooper, 85, and Sahar Baruch, 25, were officially identified Thursday evening at the National Center of Forensic Medicine.
Their caskets were transferred by Hamas in the afternoon to the Red Cross, which then handed them over to the IDF for formal identification. This marks the first return of deceased hostage from the Gaza Strip in more than a week.
Amiram Cooper: Founding member of Nir Oz and poet
Amiram Cooper was kidnapped along with his wife Nurit during Hamas' brutal surprise assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. Seventeen days later, Nurit was released and was able to relay that Amiram and several others from Kibbutz Nir Oz were still alive. During his time in captivity, a video was published showing Cooper alongside fellow hostages Chaim Peri and Yoram Metzger, all alive at the time. On June 3, 2024, the Israel Defense Forces announced Cooper had been murdered in captivity. He was 79.
For Cooper and his wife, Kibbutz Nir Oz was more than home, they were among its founders and had lived there for over 60 years. Together they raised a family and enjoyed time with their children and grandchildren, exploring the kibbutz in their mobility scooter, relaxing at the pool, working in the communal vegetable garden, and walking the fields.
Cooper was a Holocaust survivor; all of his extended family had been murdered during the Shoah. A visionary and a man of letters, he wrote, composed and published three volumes of poetry, expressing his deep love for nature, agriculture and kibbutz life. He held key roles within the kibbutz and region, including kibbutz secretary, manager of the Nirlat factory, and financial director for the communities of the Maon region.
Sahar Baruch: Science fiction fan and gifted chess player
Sahar Baruch, 25, from Kibbutz Be'eri, was kidnapped from his home by Hamas terrorists and murdered in captivity. His brother, Idan, was also killed on October 7. They are survived by their parents, Tami and Roni, and siblings, Guy and Niv.
The announcement of Sahar's death came on December 9, 2023. A month later, the IDF reported that he had died during a rescue attempt. While it remains unclear whether he was killed by Hamas or in crossfire during the operation, the IDF confirmed he was present at the site during the military action.
His aunt, Merav Barkai, recalled: "Sahar was murdered at 25. He had a birthday while in captivity. He was enrolled to begin studies at Ben-Gurion University, but never got to attend a single day. The Wednesday after October 7, we were supposed to go apartment hunting in Beersheba and explore the campus cafeterias. His classes were set to start that Sunday."
Just a month before the attack, he had returned from a long trip through South America. Before that, he had hiked parts of the Israel National Trail. Baruch was an excellent chess player and a fan of science fiction and anime. "He was sharp, smart and rational, with a silly sense of humor," his aunt added.
In a statement, Kibbutz Be'eri said: "Kibbutz Be'eri embraces Tami and Roni, their sons Guy and Niv, and the entire family, who worked tirelessly to bring Sahar home for burial in Israel. In this painful moment, we hope they find some solace in the fact that a 755-day nightmare has finally come to an end."
Kibbutz Nir Oz released a statement as well: "On October 7, during those hours of failure, 76 people were kidnapped from Nir Oz and our home became a site of tragedy. Since then, our community has relived that terrible day and fought for the return of all the hostages. Now, with the return of the last hostage from the kibbutz, we can begin to process, to recover, and to mourn the 65 loved ones who will never come back."
