Hostage Shlomo Mansour confirmed dead

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that 86-year-old Shlomo Mansour, a hostage from Kibbutz Kissufim, was killed on October 7 and his body has been held captive by Hamas in Gaza since.

The news of Mansour’s death was shared this morning by Kibbutz Kissufim in a statement.

“With a heavy heart, we kibbutz members received the news this morning of the murder in Hamas captivity of our dear friend, Shlomo Mansour, 86, who was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Kissufim in the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023,” the statement says.

The kibbutz has not disclosed further details surrounding Mansour’s death, including the circumstances or exact timing.

“This is one of the most difficult days in the history of our kibbutz. Shlomo was much more than a community member to us – he was a father, a grandfather, a true friend and the beating heart of Kissufim,” they say.

“His smile, modesty and human warmth were an inspiration to us all. Our hearts are broken that we were unable to bring him back to us alive. The entire community grieves his loss and is united in grief and pain,” the Kibbutz says.

Mansour had worked as a chicken coop manager in the kibbutz. His wife, Mazal, managed to escape during the attack.

Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Mansour survived the 1941 Farhud massacre before emigrating to Israel with his family.

He was part of the larger wave of Jewish emigration from Iraq, with his family being among 135,000 Jews – or 95 percent of the community – who fled to Israel after emigration was permitted.

Mansour’s story is intertwined with the history of many Iraqi Jews who, like him, sought new lives in Israel after facing persecution.

Mansour was among the hostages expected to be released in the first phase of the hostage deal negotiated last month.

However, Hamas has reported that eight of the 33 hostages in the first phase are no longer alive, without revealing their identities.

As of today, the IDF has confirmed the deaths of 36 of the 76 remaining hostages in Gaza.