IsraAID activated domestic emergency operations immediately following the October 7 violence, the organization reported. The agency has sustained assistance delivery to at-risk Israeli populations for 26 months since, according to IsraAID. The Taipei office has joined international and charitable contributions to support multiple intervention streams: partnership with "255" establishing tailored support architectures for freed captives and family members; "Nitzanim Shel Ofir," a community-originated youth activation program at Kibbutz Kfar Aza; expressive arts therapy at Kibbutz Beeri, plus additional undertakings, the organization stated.

During her November 27 tour of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the head of the Taipei office, Representative Abby Lee said the following, according to IsraAID:

"We are pleased to join the efforts of IsraAID in the reconnection, empowerment and rehabilitation projects in Kfar Aza, Beeri and with hostages and their extended families... I hope that the projects we are partnering on with IsraAID will help young leaders to reconnect to their communities and cultivate a sense of togetherness."

IsraAID Chief Executive Yotam Polizer expressed appreciation, saying it was "a powerful statement of solidarity."

IsraAID's intervention philosophy emphasizes extended presence in affected regions, working to amplify indigenous resilience mechanisms for sustainable futures, the organization stated. Alliances like the Taipei office collaboration enable persistent influence with crisis-impacted communities across national and international contexts, the announcement concluded.

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The declaration, issued on the war's 800th day through a coordinated effort with October Council (organization representing October 7 families), arrives as most abducted Israelis have returned from Gaza. Among those who signed: former captives Yarden Bibas, Arbel Yehoud, Luis Har, Gadi Moshe Mozes, and Amit Soussana, joined by scores of bereaved relatives.

"We demand truth. We demand justice. We demand accountability," the letter declared. "If you refuse to accept responsibility and convene such a commission as the majority of Israelis demand, vacate your positions and allow the people to choose."

The complete text: "Investigate everything"

"We – the freed hostages, families of survivors, relatives of slain captives, and those whose loved ones were seized alive only to be murdered in captivity – stand unified behind one unambiguous demand: the formation of an independent state commission of inquiry.

"Such a commission represents the sole mechanism capable of examining without intimidation, without favoritism, and without constraints the complete sequence of breakdowns that preceded the day of failure, events that transpired during the catastrophe, and every decision-making procedure concerning the hostages and war management.

"This commission must examine every dimension of that day, encompassing the disintegration of defense and intelligence operations, the unanswered pleas for assistance, the hours-long desertion of Gaza border communities, and the forsaking of civilians and soldiers to the nightmare that consumed Israeli soil.

"Equally critical, it must scrutinize developments since October 7: How authorities reached decisions during hostage negotiations, what caused recurring postponements, how diplomatic and military leadership coordinated, what public officials stated and enacted and how those choices affected captives' survival, their physical and psychological welfare, the destiny of those abducted alive but killed in captivity, and the extended period before deceased hostages reached their families. This, 799 days later with one slain hostage's body still detained – Ran Gvili.

"A commission of inquiry cannot serve political ends. It cannot include individuals who themselves require investigation. It must maintain transparency, professionalism, and complete authority to mandate evaluations, question witnesses, examine records, and deliver definitive findings including implementation powers. Only such an entity can uncover the full truth, not merely convenient revelations. Truth is not a privilege, but Israel's obligation to its citizens. Such truth provides the foundation for mending Israeli society, rebuilding confidence in governance, and constructing greater security for coming generations.

"Without truth-seeking, we cannot guarantee the October 7 catastrophe will never recur, and without accepting responsibility, we cannot properly commemorate those who perished, those who suffered abduction, and those remaining in Gaza.

"We challenge Israel's government to cease avoiding, cease postponing, cease concealing, and immediately authorize a comprehensive state commission of inquiry. Passing time exacts severe costs – corrupted testimony, suppressed evidence, incapacity to pursue truth, comprehend breakdowns, and counter falsehoods. This constitutes an essential, ethical, and fundamental action in democratic governance. We demand truth. We demand justice. We demand accountability. And we demand it immediately.

"If you do not intend to take responsibility and establish such a commission as demanded by the majority of the people, vacate your positions and let the people decide."

Those who signed the demand

Former captive Yarden Bibas, widower of Shiri Bibas and bereaved father of Ariel Bibas and Kfir Bibas, murdered in Hamas detention; freed hostage Arbel Yehoud; freed hostage Clara Marman; freed hostage Shiri Weiss, mother of freed hostage Noga Weiss and widow of slain hostage Ilan Weiss; freed hostage Shani Goren; freed hostage Ariel Cunio; freed hostage Sharon Aloni Cunio, mother of freed hostages Ema and Yuly Cunio and wife of freed hostage David Cunio.

Released captives David Cunio and Sagui Dekel Chen; freed hostage Daniel Aloni, mother of freed hostage Emilia Aloni; freed hostage Amit Soussana; freed hostage Yafa Adar; freed hostage Fernando Marman; freed hostage Raz Ben Ami; freed hostage Ohad Ben Ami; freed hostage Luis Har; freed hostage Ditza Heiman; freed hostage Margalit Mozes; freed hostage Keren Munder, mother of freed hostage Ohad Munder and daughter of freed hostage Ruth Munder and deceased captive Abraham Munder, killed in Hamas detention; freed hostage Gabriela Leimberg and mother of freed hostage Mia Leimberg; freed hostage Raya Rotem; freed hostage Norlin Babadilla; freed hostage Agam Goldstein; freed hostage Chen Almog Goldstein; Renana Gome Yaakov, mother of freed hostages Or Yaakov and Yagil Yaakov; Einav Zangauker, mother of freed hostage Matan Zangauker; Lishay Lavi, wife of freed hostage Omri Miran; Hirut Nimrodi, mother of slain hostage Tamir Nimrodi.

Rishel Tzarfati, mother of deceased captive Ofir Tzarfati; Esther and Oren Buchshtab, parents of freed hostage Yagev Buchshtab; Anat Angrest, mother of freed hostage Matan Angrest; Nofar Buchshtab, sister of freed hostage Yagev Buchshtab; John and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, parents of slain hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin; Oksana Lobanov, mother of Alex Lobanov, killed in Hamas detention; Nira Sarusi, mother of Almog Sarusi, killed in Hamas detention; Ruby Chen, father of deceased captive Itay Chen; Eli and Shira Albag, parents of freed hostage Liri Albag; Asnat Peri, widow of Haim Peri, killed in Hamas detention; Asif and Gal Goren, children of Mia Goren, killed in Hamas detention; Tal Shani, mother of freed hostage Amit Shani; Orly Gilboa, mother of freed hostage Daniella Gilboa; Amir and Mirav Daniel, parents of deceased captive Oz Daniel; Reuma Arusi Tarshansky, mother of freed hostage Gali Tarshansky; Nira Sharabi, widow of slain hostage Yossi Sharabi, killed in Hamas detention.

Orna and Ronen Neutra, parents of Omer Neutra; Boaz, son of captive Arie Zalmanowicz, killed in Hamas detention; Irina Ariev, mother of freed hostage Karina Ariev; Dafna Shay Heiman, daughter of freed hostage Ditza Heiman; Maayan Sherman, mother of Ron Sherman, killed in Hamas detention; Ronen and Orna Neutra, parents of slain hostage Omer Neutra; Yuval Danzig, son of deceased captive Alex Danzig, killed in Hamas detention; Dvora Idan, mother of slain hostage Tsachi Idan, killed in Hamas detention; Ayelet Svatitzky, sister of deceased Nirim resident Roi Popplewell and sister of Nadav Popplewell, abducted and killed in captivity, and daughter of freed hostage Hanna Peri; Dana Or, mother of freed hostage Liam Or and sister of slain hostage Dror Or; Talma Atzili, mother of deceased captive Aviv Atzili; Ram and Guy Metzger, sons of Yoram Metzger, killed in detention, and freed hostage Tami Metzger; Sharon Lifshitz, daughter of Oded Lifshitz, killed in detention, and freed hostage Yocheved Lifshitz; Sharon, sister of Eden Yerushalmi, killed in detention; Yael Adar, mother of slain hostage Tamir Adar; Rani Goldin, brother of deceased captive Oren Goldin; Dalit Oron, mother of slain hostage Idan Shtivi; Efrat Avsker Yahalomi, sister of deceased captive Ohad Yahalomi, killed in Hamas detention; Shahar Levy, son of slain hostage Eitan Levy; Nisan Kalderon, brother of freed hostage Ofer Kalderon and uncle of freed hostages Sahar and Erez; Yitzhak Horn, father of freed hostages Yair Horn and Eitan Horn; Lee Segal, sister of freed hostage Keith Segal.

Yonatan Dekel-Chen, father of freed hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen; Yoav and Yonit Engel, parents of freed hostage Ofir Engel; Rotem Cooper, daughter of deceased captive Amiram Cooper, killed in Hamas detention; Chen Avigdori, husband of freed hostage Sharon Avigdori and father of freed hostage Noam Avigdori; Moshe Katz, father of freed hostage Doron Katz, abducted with daughters Raz and Aviv; Avital Kirsht, mother of freed hostage Rimon Kirsht; Aviram Meir, relative of freed hostage Almog Meir Jan; Maayan Segal-Koren, five of whose relatives survived detention, alongside scores of additional freed hostages and relatives.

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Like so many stories worth telling these days, Rosenberg's also begins in the early morning hours of that cursed Saturday. "Right after I understood the dimensions of the event, I realized it would also affect our employees," he said. "Nvidia has more than 5,000 employees in Israel, many of whom live and work in the south, and we started trying to find out what was happening with them."

"We were always there with them in the evening, from seven to nine, in sirens and missiles, and all this time we also had to take care of other employees who were affected, evacuated from home, or who lost family members and friends," he said. "It was a difficult and somewhat crazy routine. Nvidia had five employees whose family members were kidnapped to Gaza, and some were murdered there, and we even recruited new employees over time who also have relatives who are hostages. In addition, employees lost brothers and friends in the war, and company employee Amit Chayut fell in battle. We understood that we had to do everything we could to help them. It was clear to me that this was my most important mission and that of the company."

These years have been dramatic not only for Nvidia itself, but for the entire tech world. "I remember the pivotal day when they announced OpenAI's ChatGPT, exactly three years ago," Rosenberg said. "We all at the company understood that something had fallen, that the AI field was really breaking through, as we hoped would happen. This, of course, didn't happen in one day. The company built itself toward this moment. OpenAI worked with Mellanox on the technology back then, and we knew how important our products were for the AI era. It was a gradual rise until explosion – and when it happened, it happened fast and in big leaps, and it was important to preserve the organization's identity."

"Satisfaction is not just good conditions," Rosenberg explained. "Money is, of course, important and critical – salary, stocks, financial horizon – but a leading company needs to create satisfaction and interest and security for employees. From the CEO to the most junior manager, it's clear to everyone that we need to ensure our employees have it good and that they will want to continue working with us – and we invest a lot in this."

"On October 7, I didn't have a 'playbook' that says what to do if a company employee is kidnapped. We didn't know how to deal with something like this, but I hope I did the right things along the way. I also have no idea if anything I did somehow helped bring Avinatan home, but I tried to give his family as much strength as possible, because they were in a very lonely and difficult place."

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Herkin is struggling to break the routines he was forced to adopt during his two horrific years in Gaza. He walks hunched over, a relic of moving through Gaza's low, narrow tunnels, and he clasps his hands behind his back as if they were still shackled.

"I got used to sitting and sleeping on the ground, and that has turned into a habit," he explained to Israel Hayom. "I might be with family or friends, get up to grab a cup of coffee, and then come back and simply sit down on the floor. My legs are always crossed and pulled tight to my body, because I sat scrunched up for two years. I only notice after many minutes and then return to a chair."

Maxim Herkin was freed in the recent hostage exchange on October 13, having endured 738 days in Hamas captivity. He now shares a harrowing personal experience and discloses that one of his captors boasted about having previously guarded Gilad Schalit, the Israeli soldier who was held captive for 4 years after being taken captive in 2006. 

"My eyes were covered, and my hands and legs were tied," he recounted softly. "I couldn't see anything, but I suddenly felt my clothes being pulled off. One of the terrorists took a knife and just cut them away until I was naked. The terrorist didn't ask me to strip; he did it himself."

"The reason became clear in an instant. He was sure I was a special forces soldier and asked if I had a GPS in my body. I was shocked. The terrorist must have seen too many spy movies and thought they had implanted a chip in me. I stayed calm and told him there was no chance he would find anything on me. After searching me and confirming there were no chips inside me, the terrorist pulled up my underwear himself. I stayed like that for several days – in my underwear, a sealed ski mask covered in blood, and my hands and feet in handcuffs."

In the article, which Israel Hayom will publish this weekend, Maxim Herkin returns to the trauma of October 7 and the physical and psychological abuse he suffered in Gaza. He openly discussed the panic attack he experienced when he heard a song played at the Nova Festival, from which he was abducted , his anxiety for his family, the crowdfunding campaign started by his friends, and the guilt he feels toward his 13 and a half-year-old little brother.

"I see the impact this period has had on him," he added. "He's a fighter, but now he's rebelling. He told me about his pain and that he had to be strong for our mother. This is a 13-year-old boy talking like a 40-year-old. I stole two years of his childhood, and no one can give them back to him."

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Exactly two years after his children returned from Hamas captivity, Or, who was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri to the Gaza Strip on October 7, was returned to Israel as a deceased hostage on Tuesday evening.

Or, 49, was taken from his home on October 7 by Hamas terrorists. His wife Yonat was murdered during the attack, while his two children, Noam and Alma, were kidnapped and subsequently released in the first hostage deal in 2023. An expert committee convened in May 2024 determined that Or was no longer alive.

"The Government of Israel shared in the deep sorrow of the Or family and all the families of deceased hostages. The government and all of Israel's state security apparatus were determined, committed, and working tirelessly to return the two remaining deceased hostages for proper burial in their homeland," the PM's office said in a statement, adding that "The Hamas terror organization was required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of implementing the agreement. The government would not compromise on this and would spare no effort until all the hostages returned home, every last one of them."

Or (49) was a deceased hostage from Kibbutz Beeri who was kidnapped from his home on October 7. His wife, Yonat Or, was murdered, and their two children, Noam Or and Alma Or, were kidnapped and later released in the first deal in November 2023. An expert committee determined in May 2024 that Or was no longer alive.

Or was a devoted father to his three children – Yahli Or (18), Noam Or (17), and Alma Or (13). He served as Kibbutz Be'eri's cheesemaker, a leading culinary professional, a yoga instructor, and a man who appreciated silence.

On October 7, terrorists reached their home in the Kerem neighborhood. The family barricaded themselves in the safe room as their house was set on fire. While inside, united and embracing, Dror and Yonat made the critical decision to get their children out through the window – an action that ultimately saved their lives. Afterward, the couple separated and attempted to escape, but both were caught and murdered. The children were kidnapped to Gaza and returned to Israel after 50 days in captivity.

IDF representatives informed the family of Dror Or that their loved one has been brought back for burial.

According to the information and intelligence available to the IDF:

Dror Or, 48, was murdered by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization on Oct. 7th, 2023, and his body… pic.twitter.com/JDD9bWOmhx

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 26, 2025

Two other deceased hostages remain in the Gaza Strip: Ran Gvili, 24, and Sudthisak Rinthalak, 43. Gvili, an Israel Police counter-riot fighter, killed 14 terrorists before he was abducted. Rinthalak, a Thai national, was kidnapped while working in the orchards of Be'eri.

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Video: Alon Ohel performing at Hostage Square on November 19, 2025 / Credit: Hostages and Missing Families Forum

Ohel, a gifted pianist who returned from captivity on October 13, wrote on an erasable board while on the helicopter to the hospital the words "Song Without a Name." This was the last song he played on the piano in his room before leaving for the Nova Festival, which was written and composed by Shalom Hanoch and originally performed by Yehudit Ravitz.

Prior to his release, medical authorities sounded the alarm that intelligence from released other hostages suggested Ohel might be losing his vision. According to information disclosed on Kan Reshet B, reports from freed captives indicate Ohel has sustained shrapnel injuries to his eye and can only detect shadows with one eye. Medical sources indicate that based on survivor testimonies, he risked losing vision in both eyes. After his return, and upon medical evaluation it was confirmed that his right-eye sight was severely compromised.

He underwent several complex procedures and doctors have been optimistic that his condition would allow his vision to be partially restored despite the circumstances, explaining that the surgery would have normally been done immediately after such an injury in order to be effective and that his conditions in captivity without proper food and sunlight may have hurt his medical parameters.

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Video: The Siegels appearing at the United Nations on November 12, 2025

During the session, Donenfeld presented Israel's complete commitment to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, urged committee members to adhere to facts and law, and requested they avoid echoing antisemitic propaganda.

He stated, "The testimonies we heard here today aren't just personal stories – they're a moral and legal indictment against the world's silence. The State of Israel is fully committed to the principles of the Convention for the Prevention of Torture and ensuring human dignity wherever it may be."

He continued, "This commitment can't be one-sided. The international community's silence facing torture, kidnappings, and abuse violates the very spirit of the Convention. The Convention mustn't remain just a document – it must be a moral compass demanding action."

Keith Siegel testified, "I'm not asking for your mercy. I'm asking you to ensure the horrors the terrorists committed against me and others in captivity never happen again." He recounted being held captive for 50 days alongside his wife Aviva until her release, then held sometimes with other captives and sometimes in complete isolation.

In total, he spent roughly six months entirely alone. "At 66, cut off from the world, terrified, not knowing what happened to my loved ones. Just for 'amusement,' the guards would compare our body parts with another captive's, threaten us with knives, humiliate us, prevent us from using the bathroom until we couldn't hold it anymore."

He added, "Every basic human right was stripped from me. I was starved and even denied water. More than once, terrorists forced me to strip before them and shaved my body."

Aviva Siegel, Keith's wife, also testified before the committee. "When we were taken underground in Gaza, there was a child from my community. The Hamas terrorists bound his hands with plastic cuffs. He was covered in blood, we were covered in blood, and afterward, when one of the terrorists came to remove his cuffs, he cut his hand. I wanted to scream, and I saw the terrorist smiling while doing it."

She continued, "For 51 days, I was certain I'd die any moment. They threatened me, starved me, gave me insufficient water, I lost 10 kilograms (22 pounds) in 51 days. I'd hide food for Keith. I saw him, he lost weight. We lost weight while the terrorists gained weight – they ate and chewed before us while giving us nothing."

She further described, "One day, one of the young women emerged from the shower trembling. I wasn't permitted to hug her, but I hugged her regardless. After some time, she told us one of the terrorists touched her entire body and did whatever he wanted with her. There was also another young woman taken by a terrorist to the shower, told to undress, and forced to perform oral sex on him and smile afterward."

She added, "Additionally, a 16-year-old girl was forced to shower before one of the terrorists. She's 16 – she'd never shown her body to anyone, and a Hamas terrorist just stood there, looked at her, and smiled."

Aviva described the helplessness in captivity. "The terrible thing for me was watching them torture my husband Keith and what they did to the girls. I was forbidden to hug, offer help, or cry. I tried constantly to maintain my humanity. They forced us to lie down from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 a.m. the next morning, we were forbidden to move. My body ached, I wanted to stretch, sit, scream 'Just let me sit five minutes' – they wouldn't allow it. They threatened to kill me."

She continued, "One night I extended my leg from under the blanket, a Hamas terrorist came and screamed at me that I'm not allowed to do that. It sounds like something small, but that's the control level they had over us constantly. Most of the time I suffered stomach pains and diarrhea because they gave us contaminated water. I'm 62 and had to request permission to use the bathroom."

Justice Ministry Director General Donenfeld thanked the delegation members for their professional and dedicated work throughout the recent period, given the numerous challenges they faced. The Israeli delegation included senior representatives from the Justice Ministry, Foreign Ministry, National Security Council, Israel Police, Prison Service, Population and Immigration Authority, and the Military Advocate General's office. They were accompanied by captivity survivors Aviva and Keith Siegel, residents of Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

The delegation's appearance was conducted as part of implementing the State of Israel's commitments within the framework of the International Convention Against Torture, Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which convenes every four years and follows submission of Israel's sixth periodic report on implementing the Convention, submitted to the committee in 2020.

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At the conference, Cohen revealed cases where the Mossad during his tenure shared life-saving intelligence, including with Australia. "We gave the Australians probably one of the most critical intelligence items, which saved hundreds of lives, when a bomb was en route to an Etihad aircraft scheduled to depart Sydney for Dubai or Abu Dhabi. This was our intelligence, and what do we receive back from Australia?" Cohen asked, referring to Canberra's recognition of a Palestinian state.

Cohen indicated Israel provides life-saving intelligence to other Western intelligence agencies, primarily the American CIA and British MI6. Cohen emphasized Israel shouldn't stop intelligence sharing, explaining, "We need to trade this coordinated intelligence, which ultimately saves lives, for improved support. I'm not proposing the Mossad or Israel's intelligence forces cease collecting or sharing intelligence with our global partners to protect other people's lives [meaning non-Israelis], but I am proposing we trade it differently."

Earlier this week, the Mossad exposed an Iranian operative who planned attacks in Australia, Germany and Greece. Cohen officially stated at the conference he won't run in the upcoming elections. However, he didn't rule out entering political life later. When asked about running for office in elections a year away, Cohen responded, "The answer is no. Not now. We'll see what develops."

Cohen revealed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously told him he considered him his successor. "When I served as Mossad chief, Prime Minister Netanyahu suggested I was his successor. One day I approached him and asked if he genuinely said this, and he confirmed it, explaining his reasoning. This occurred in 2018 or 2019 I believe, and then my wife responded, 'No, absolutely not. We're not entering this.' But I believe everything shifted dramatically after October 7, and there's a need for fresh leadership. So the possibility can't be completely ruled out. I'm weighing everything, but my decision now is no."

Video: Yossi Cohen at the Shurat Hadin conference with Ariel Kahana / Credit : Ohad Kab

Regarding the war-ending agreement, Cohen stated, "This isn't the perfect agreement, but currently it's time for a ceasefire and this was a price worth accepting for freeing the hostages. I don't believe the US or other parties will block Israel from combating terror going forward. Israel should decide whether to cut all ties with Qatar once all deceased hostages return. We lack genuine relations with them, we merely used them as intermediaries for channeling funds to Gaza, ostensibly for the population's welfare, but actually they reached Hamas. This was an error, designed for humanitarian assistance, but concluded with the money financing terror."

Attorney Nitzana Darshan-Leitner, president of the Shurat HaDin organization and conference organizer, concluded, "The war isn't over yet. The policy threats to create a Palestinian state combined with The Hague court's hostility lead to an unprecedented surge in Israel hatred and antisemitism. We must consolidate all forces addressing this issue to push back. Let the entire world understand it's unacceptable to allow terror to gain strength. We must combat it on the battlefield, in courtrooms and also in the global public opinion sphere. If we work together, we can secure the future of the Jewish people in the Land and throughout the Diaspora."

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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.

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Since her abduction, her family has waged a campaign to return her body for burial in Israel, with the phrase "I'm also a woman, bring me back too," stated against the backdrop of the decision to return women and children first in hostage deals.

President Herzog concluded his eulogy with an apology to Haiman and the other hostages and their families, "At this occasion, as president of the State of Israel, I ask from you, and from you Inbar, and from all our deceased hostages and their families, forgiveness. Forgiveness that we weren't there for you, forgiveness that we didn't succeed in rescuing, forgiveness that it took us such a long time to return you to us."

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