By: Fern Sidman

In the quiet hours of early Wednesday morning, Israel was once again confronted with the anguish that has defined its ongoing struggle since the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre. The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the bodies of two hostages — Arie (Zalman) Zalmanowicz, 85, and Master Sergeant (Res.) Tamir Adar, 38 — had been returned to Israel by Hamas and formally identified.

As reported by Israel National News, the announcement brought a mixture of sorrow and solemn relief to a country still reeling from the trauma of that day. Both men were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities hardest hit during Hamas’s onslaught, where more than 100 residents were either killed or taken captive.

According to the report at Israel National News, two coffins containing the remains of the deceased hostages were handed over by Hamas to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday evening. The ICRC subsequently transferred them to IDF custody at a designated crossing point before they were escorted into Israel under military guard.

In a statement, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed the transfer and urged the public “to act with sensitivity and wait for official identification, which will first be communicated to the families of the deceased hostages.” The military emphasized that Hamas is obligated under the current agreement to return all deceased hostages and that efforts to retrieve the remaining 13 bodies are ongoing.

Once inside Israel, the coffins were taken to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir, where identification procedures were carried out. The Prime Minister’s Office said that the coffins were “received in a military ceremony in the presence of the IDF Chief Rabbi” before being transferred to the forensic center.

“All of the hostages’ families have been updated accordingly, and our hearts are with them in this difficult hour,” the statement read, according to the report at Israel National News. “The effort to return our hostages is ongoing and will not cease until the last hostage is returned.”

The government urged the public and media outlets “to respect the families’ privacy and refrain from spreading unverified information,” echoing earlier pleas from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Arie Zalmanowicz’s story is one of quiet heroism, resilience, and devotion to the land of Israel. Born in Haifa, he was part of a generation that helped build the nation’s early agricultural settlements. As reported by Israel National News, Zalmanowicz left his parents’ home at a young age to help establish Kibbutz Nir Oz as part of a Nahal nucleus — the pioneering units that combined military service with the founding of new kibbutzim.

He became a farmer specializing in wheat cultivation in the harsh conditions of the Negev Desert, earning the admiration of his community for his perseverance and modesty. “Arie was a man of the land all his life,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters in a statement quoted in the Israel National News report. “He was a man of books, with deep knowledge of the history and geography of Israel — a tough but humble man who asked for nothing for himself.”

The statement continued: “In all rounds of fighting, he refused to leave his home. He was the oldest hostage held by Hamas. On October 7, he was kidnapped alive and murdered in captivity.”

According to intelligence gathered by the IDF, Zalmanowicz was abducted alive from his home in Nir Oz and later murdered in captivity. He is survived by two sons and five grandchildren.

“The final conclusions will be made upon completion of the examination of the circumstances of death in the National Institute of Forensic Medicine,” the IDF said. “The IDF expresses deep condolences to the families and continues to make every effort to return all deceased hostages.”

Zalmanowicz’s life embodied the spirit of Israel’s early pioneers — men and women who built the country from the ground up, often at great personal sacrifice. His death, like that of so many others on October 7, serves as a painful reminder of the price Israel continues to pay in its fight for survival.

The second fallen hostage, Master Sergeant (Res.) Tamir Adar, was a member of the Nir Oz rapid response team and served as the kibbutz’s deputy security coordinator. According to the information provided in the Israel National News report, Adar fought valiantly to defend his community during the Hamas attack before being killed in action. His body was then seized by operatives of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and taken into Gaza.

He was 38 years old at the time of his death. Adar’s death was officially pronounced on January 4, 2024, but until now, his family had not been able to bury him in Israel.

Adar is survived by his wife and two young children, as well as his parents, two brothers, and a sister. His grandmother, Yaffa Adar, was also abducted on October 7 and later released in November 2023 as part of the first hostage deal.

Following the recovery of his body, Adar was formally recognized as a fallen IDF soldier, and his remains will be laid to rest with full military honors.

“Tamir was among the first to respond to the attack on Nir Oz,” reported Israel National News. “He fought bravely, defending his home and community until he fell in battle.”

His comrades described him as a dedicated defender who took his role in the kibbutz’s security team with utmost seriousness. “He believed in protecting life — that was his purpose,” one fellow responder told Israel National News. “Even in the chaos of that morning, he never hesitated.”

The return of Zalmanowicz and Adar’s bodies marks another chapter in Israel’s grueling effort to bring home both living hostages and the remains of those murdered in captivity. As Israel National News has consistently reported, 13 bodies of Israeli hostages are still held in Gaza, with Hamas refusing to provide information on their condition despite multiple international appeals.

The Israeli government has made clear that recovering all hostages — alive or deceased — remains a top national priority. In recent weeks, Israel has coordinated with the Red Cross and other intermediaries under the terms of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework to facilitate the return of remains and obtain proof of life for those still missing.

The IDF has continued to operate in Gaza, both militarily and diplomatically, to secure hostages’ release and ensure accountability. “Hamas is required to fulfill its obligations under the agreement and to make the necessary efforts to return all hostages for a dignified burial,” the military reiterated in its Wednesday statement, as cited in the Israel National News report.

For many Israelis, the return of the hostages’ bodies evokes both heartbreak and defiance — a reminder of the nation’s collective resilience in the face of ongoing terror. Communities across southern Israel, especially Nir Oz, continue to mourn yet stand determined to rebuild.

The Prime Minister’s Office, in its official statement, reflected the dual nature of that resolve: “Israel has received, via the Red Cross, coffins containing the remains of two deceased hostages, which were handed over to an IDF and ISA force inside the Gaza Strip. From there, the coffins were transferred to Israel, where they were received in a military ceremony. Our hearts are with the families in this difficult hour. The effort to return our hostages will not cease until the last one is home.”

According to the information contained in the Israel National News report, funerals for both Zalmanowicz and Adar are expected to take place later this week, with attendance by senior Israeli officials, IDF representatives, and fellow residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz.

In Israel’s current climate of political division and wartime fatigue, the stories of Arie Zalmanowicz and Tamir Adar have cut through partisan lines. Their sacrifices — one as a pioneer who helped build the land, the other as a soldier who died defending it — symbolize the continuum of Israel’s struggle and endurance.

As the Israel National News report poignantly observed, “Their return in death underscores the promise that no Israeli — whether taken in battle or captivity — will ever be forgotten.”

For the families who have waited months in unbearable uncertainty, closure has finally come — but at the heaviest of costs. The nation now stands behind those still waiting, united in grief, faith, and a singular determination: to bring every hostage home.