Shlomo Mansour, Murdered In Gaza, Laid To Rest In Israel

Shlomo Mansour, an 86-year-old from Kibbutz Kissufim who was murdered and abducted on October 7, 2023, was buried Sunday, 513 days after his death.

His body was returned last week as part of the first stage of the exchange deal between Israel and Hamas. Mansour, who was the oldest of the hostages in captivity, was abducted from the bomb shelter of his home and taken by terrorists, handcuffed. He was killed the same day by Hamas militants. The bodies of hostages Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, and Itzik Elgarat, also murdered in captivity, were returned at the same time.

“Shlomo, taken from the peaceful courtyard of his home that cursed Saturday morning, was murdered by terrorists from Gaza,” said Kibbutz Kissufim in a statement. “He was the heart of our community, the grandfather of all. Always with a wide smile, never forgetting a birthday and calling to wish good luck. He knew how to make each of us feel like the center of the world, with warmth, love and a rare presence of true generosity.”

Moshe, the brother of Shlomo, shared his pain in an interview on Israeli radio: “I can only suffer from what happened. Shlomo was a beloved and precious man. He took care of all the family members, of the entire kibbutz. Whoever had a problem turned to him. He adopted children in the kibbutz and beyond. He worked in every possible position in the kibbutz. He taught carpentry to children. A man of peace, who loved people. At least, he will return to the land he loved.”

The decision to confirm his death was based on information gathered over the past few months and validated by an expert committee from the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Israeli police, according to the IDF. Shlomo was married to Mazal, who was with him in their apartment during the abduction, but managed to escape. When the sirens sounded, Mazal went into the bathroom while Shlomo took refuge in the shelter. The terrorists captured Shlomo and slapped him. Mazal asked, “Why? He is an old man, he did nothing.”