Israel Confirms Identity of Hostage Remains
On Tuesday, Israel announced that the remains of 85-year-old Aryeh Zalmanovich have been positively identified. Zalmanovich, who lived in Nir Oz, was one of two deceased hostages brought back from Gaza and is believed to have been killed by Hamas during his captivity.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed Zalmanovich’s family after forensic experts confirmed his identity. A full medical examination will provide further details surrounding his death. The name of the second set of remains has not been disclosed at the request of the family.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the coffins containing the remains were handed over to the IDF and the Shin Bet security agency inside Gaza, before being transferred to Israel for a military ceremony led by the chief military rabbi.
After the bodies were received, they were taken to the National Center of Forensic Medicine for identification.
All families of the deceased hostages have been informed, with condolences expressed for their loss. Netanyahu’s office reiterated that efforts to secure the release of hostages will continue until every last person is returned.
Additional Hostages Identified
The same day, another hostage was identified as Sgt. Maj. Tal Haimi, commander of the rapid response team at Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. Haimi, who was 41, lost his life during a combat incident while defending the kibbutz on October 7, 2023. His remains were held in Gaza for over two years.
Initially, Haimi’s family believed he was still alive, but Israel declared him deceased on December 13, 2023. After the identification of his remains, Netanyahu’s office extended condolences to his family and urged Hamas to return the remains of all deceased hostages for proper burial.
The IDF echoed this call, asking Hamas to uphold its agreements made during negotiations led by the previous U.S. administration.
On October 13, 2025, 20 living hostages were returned to Israel after being held captive for more than two years. Since then, the remains of 28 deceased hostages have been returned, while 13 others, including U.S. citizens, remain missing in Gaza.
This crisis highlights the ongoing struggles and hopes for the families affected by these tragic events.
