Itzhak Elgarat has been confirmed as one of the four slain hostages that were released by Hamas on Wednesday, the media reported, citing Kibbutz Nir Oz’s announcement on Thursday.
“We announce with deep sorrow that Itzhak Elgarat, who was kidnapped from his home on the kibbutz on Saturday, October 7, and murdered in captivity in Gaza, has been returned,” Kibbutz Nir Oz announced.
“Itzhak, who was kidnapped at the age of 68, came to Nir Oz following his brother and beloved friend in the community. For years, he served the kibbutz with dedication as a groundskeeper and was responsible for plumbing, gas, and stream work.
“He was an integral part of the social scene, loved to hang out at the local pub, host friends, and connect people of all ages with each other. He was renowned for his great love of soccer and backgammon, and he starred in local games, always with a smile and good spirit,” the kibbutz said.
“Itzhak left behind two children, a brother, and two sisters. We will remember him for his laughter, his huge heart, and his willingness to always be there for anyone in need.”
Elgarat had called his younger brother, Danny, at approximately 11:30 a.m. on October 7, telling him that his hand had been badly injured as he rushed to close the door to the safe room.
“I could hear that he was very stressed, on the verge of tears,” Danny previously told The Jerusalem Post. “He told me that his hand was badly hurt, that it was crushed when he tried to close the door to his safe room.”
It is presumed that Elgarat had not realized at the time that the wound was not caused by the door.
Elgarat’s brother tried to coach him on how to make a tourniquet for his hand, but soon heard the nearing sounds of gunfire and shouting.“It was then that Itzhak screamed into the phone: ‘Danny, it’s over. Danny, it’s all over,’ and the call went silent,” he said.Elgarat tried to reach his niece’s husband, who also lives on the kibbutz. “He told me: ‘Danny, they have thrown four grenades at me. I killed a terrorist in my living room. Whoever goes outside now is dead.”“That is when I realized that this was an attack on the kibbutz similar to what I had been seeing happening that morning in Sderot and Netiv Ha’asara. I just couldn’t believe that the whole Gaza border area was under attack and being conquered,” Elgarat’s brother continued.
'I failed'
He tried to use his connections with the police to get help for his brother, but to no avail. Later, he tracked his brother’s phone and saw that it had entered Gaza an hour after the two had spoken.
During the first release of hostages from Gaza in November 2023, Elgarat was told by freed hostages that his brother had been treated at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis before being taken to the tunnels.
In March, Hamas released a video claiming that an IDF bombardment killed seven hostages, including Elgarat.