Who is Itzik Elgarat, murdered hostage due to be released tonight

Itzik Elgarat, a 69-year-old resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was one of the many victims taken captive during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. On that morning, as Hamas militants stormed his home, Itzik was shot in the hand while attempting to lock himself inside a safe room. In a frantic call to his brother, Danny Elgarat, Itzik's distress was clear as he said, “Danny, this is the end.” The call ended abruptly, and later, Danny discovered that his brother’s phone had been located in Gaza.

The attack was swift and brutal. Danny described hearing gunfire and explosions as the terrorists ransacked the kibbutz, which had been one of the first targets. In the chaos, Itzik's nephew, Ben Danzig, recalls Itzik as a man who loved to work with his hands and was deeply involved in his community, making his kidnapping all the more tragic.

Days after the attack, Danny ventured to Nir Oz, only to find the ruins of his brother’s home, destroyed and burnt. By then, Itzik had already been taken into Gaza, and his fate remained uncertain. Over time, reports surfaced from other freed hostages, revealing that Itzik had been treated at a hospital in Khan Yunis before being moved to Hamas's underground tunnels.

In March 2024, a video released by Hamas claimed that several hostages, including Itzik, had been killed during an Israeli airstrike. Although Danny held out hope for his brother’s return, his worst fears were realized when he acknowledged that Itzik, like many others, had likely died in captivity. Despite this, Danny consistently advocated for the return of the living, even if it meant leaving the dead behind. His emotional plea was made during a session at the Knesset Constitution Committee, where he expressed his belief that Itzik could have been brought home alive during the November 2023 hostage deal, a missed opportunity that haunted him deeply.

Itzik's remains are now scheduled to be returned to Israel later tonight, marking the painful end of a tragic chapter for his family. His loved ones, including his children in Denmark, have endured months of uncertainty, but they will finally have the opportunity to lay him to rest, as his brother Danny had long feared. The return of Itzik’s body is part of a larger exchange agreement, though the pain of his loss will continue to resonate within the Elgarat family.