The Israeli military declared that Shlomo Mansour, an 86-year-old hostage taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, was killed by gunmen and his body is being held in Gaza. This confirmation comes as tensions rise regarding the release of remaining hostages and the fragility of the ceasefire agreement.
Israel Confirms Death of Hostage Shlomo Mansour Amid Hostage Crisis
Israel Confirms Death of Hostage Shlomo Mansour Amid Hostage Crisis
Israeli military announces the death of elderly hostage Shlomo Mansour, reportedly killed during the October 7 Hamas attack, further complicating the ongoing hostage negotiations.
The Israeli military has announced the unfortunate news that Shlomo Mansour, an elderly Israeli man abducted by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attack, was killed during the incident. Mansour, an 86-year-old Iraq-born resident of Kibbutz Kissufim, was taken captive from his home while his wife, Mazal, managed to escape, hiding from gunmen.
The confirmation of Mansour's death was based on intelligence gathered over several months and received authorization from an expert committee within the Israeli health ministry. This news arrives as part of a complex timeline concerning hostages held by Hamas and creates additional pressure on the ceasefire negotiations. His name is included among the list of 33 hostages that the Israeli government expects to see released, stemming from a negotiated deal that has come under strain.
Since January 19, there have been 16 living Israeli hostages released by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody, with delays and tensions mounting in the process. An additional 17 Israeli hostages remain, and while both sides have acknowledged that eight of these individuals are presumed deceased, none have been publicly identified.
Recently, Hamas threatened to defer the release of several hostages unless mediators from the US, Qatar, and Egypt could address Israeli compliance with the ceasefire agreement, including the alleged obstruction of humanitarian supplies into Gaza. This prompted strong reactions, such as the controversial statement from former US President Donald Trump, who suggested that Israel should abandon the negotiations entirely if Hamas failed to release all hostages.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz labeled Hamas's threats as a gross violation of the ceasefire agreement and instructed the military to brace for various scenarios. Following this development, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the Mansour family, emphasizing his commitment to securing the return of all hostages, alive or deceased.
The tragic context surrounding Shlomo Mansour himself highlights a larger issue relating to the recently reported poor conditions of released hostages, which has intensified calls for negotiations on the fate of remaining captives. Recent released individuals exhibited alarming health conditions, prompting widespread concern over the treatment of hostages still in captivity.
The plight of additional hostages, such as Alon Ohel, who is reported to be in dire conditions, also underscores the urgency of immediate intervention to secure their release. With recent death tolls in Gaza surpassing 48,200 since the commencement of Israel's retaliation against Hamas, the situation remains exceedingly complicated, as families of both hostages and victims grapple with the ongoing violence and despair.
