These 4 hostages are slated for release this Thursday; all are presumed deceased

Following Saturday’s release of six living Israeli hostages, only four of the 33 captives slated for freedom in the initial phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remain in Gaza—all believed to be dead. The four, identified as Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, Itzik Elgarat, and Shlomo Mantzur, 85, were abducted during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Their release, scheduled for Thursday, is part of the Qatar- and US-brokered agreement, though it comes with the somber expectation that only their remains will return.

Hamas has previously indicated that the six hostages freed on Saturday were the final living captives to be released under this phase, a claim corroborated by Israeli intelligence. Earlier this month, Israeli authorities confirmed that Shlomo Mantzur was murdered on October 7, 2023, with his body taken to Gaza.

Here’s what we know about the four men awaiting release:

Ohad Yahalomi

Ohad Yahalomi, 49 at the time of his capture, was taken from his Kibbutz Nir Oz home after a fierce struggle. Armed with a handgun, he stationed himself outside his family’s malfunctioning safe room to fend off Hamas gunmen. Shot in the leg during the confrontation, he urged his wife, Batsheva, and their three children to obey the attackers as they were forced onto mopeds toward Gaza. “I love you,” he told them as they were separated. Batsheva and two daughters escaped after a harrowing three-hour flight in pajamas and flip-flops, but their son Eitan, 12, was taken captive and later freed in November 2023. Ohad’s fate remained unknown until now. “We thought he’d be waiting for us,” Batsheva said, recalling their return to the devastated kibbutz.

Tsachi Idan

Tsahi Idan, 49 when kidnapped, endured unimaginable loss at his Kibbutz Nahal Oz home. As rockets rained down on October 7, he and his family of five barricaded themselves in their safe room. When terrorists breached the house, Tsahi and his eldest daughter, Maayan, 18, held the door shut—until a bullet tore through, killing Maayan in his arms. “He was broken,” his wife Gali recounted in a Channel 13 interview, describing how Tsahi fell silent as Hamas filmed the ordeal. The attackers later separated him from Gali and their two younger children, promising his daughter Yael, “He’ll be back.” That promise has yet to be fulfilled.

Itzik Elgarat

Itzik Elgarat, 69 at the time of his abduction, was alone in his Kibbutz Nir Oz home when Hamas struck. Speaking to his brother Danny, a former Ashdod police commander, at 10:30 AM on October 7, Itzik reported being shot in the hand through his safe room door. “Danny, this is the end, this is the end,” he said amid shouts in the background. By 12:10 PM, his phone signal traced to Gaza. Days later, Danny found Itzik’s home ransacked and charred. A Danish citizen with two children in Denmark, Itzik was known as a skilled craftsman and a kind soul, said his nephew Ben Danzig.

Shlomo Mantzur

Shlomo Mantzur, 85, was killed during the October 7 attack on Kibbutz Kissufim, where he had lived most of his life with his wife Mazal. The IDF confirmed his death earlier this month, stating his body was abducted to Gaza. Born in Iraq, Mantzur was a beloved figure in the small, tight-knit community, managing the kibbutz chicken coop and crafting gifts for his grandchildren with “golden hands.” Mazal escaped the massacre that claimed at least eight residents and six Thai workers, but Shlomo’s fate was sealed that day.

As Thursday approaches, the release of these four men’s remains marks a grim milestone in the ceasefire’s first phase, leaving families and a nation to mourn while grappling with the fragile hope of peace.

Times of Israel contributed to this article.