Hamas terrorists murdered Shlomo Mantzur on October 7, 2023, and have been holding his body since then, Kibbutz Kissufim announced.
“With a heavy heart, we kibbutz members received the news this morning of the murder in Hamas captivity of our dear friend, Shlomo Mantzur… who was kidnapped from his home,” the kibbutz said on Tuesday.
The kibbutz also described Mantzur’s death as “a wound that will not heal.” It also demanded the Israeli government and world leaders “to act decisively to return all hostages – living and dead.”
Mantzur, who was 85 at his death, “was much more than a community member to us – he was a father, a grandfather, a true friend, and a beating heart of Kissufim. This is one of the hardest days in the history of our kibbutz,” the announcement said.
The kibbutz described Mantzur’s death as “a wound that will not heal.” It also demanded the government and world leaders “act decisively to return all hostages – living and dead.”
The decision to pronounce his death was based on intelligence information collected over the past few months and was approved by a committee of experts from the Health Ministry in cooperation with the Religious Affairs Ministry and police, the IDF said.
The Mantzur family said, “With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, we received the bitter news from IDF representatives about the murder of our beloved and dear Shlomo.
“Shlomo, a survivor of the Farhud holocaust in Iraq, was kidnapped from his home in Kissufim. He was the pillar of strength for our entire family. A man of high morals and values, a lover of humanity, who always helped others wholeheartedly. A man with a heart of gold, golden hands, and a smile worth gold.”
They called upon decision-makers to make a brave and ethical decision to bring all hostages home immediately – the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial in their homeland.
“We deeply thank the soldiers who fight day and night, risking their lives. Our family wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded, and our hearts are with the bereaved families.”
The family also thanked the Hostages and Missing Families Forum for its support.
“To the people of Israel: Continue to support and cry out the cry of the hostages until they are all returned home.”
Mantzur is on the list of 33 hostages set to be released as part of the hostage-ceasefire deal. While Hamas did not disclose the names of the killed hostages, it confirmed to mediators that eight bodies would be returned along with 25 living captives.
At 85, Mantzur was thought to be the oldest hostage in Hamas captivity. He was abducted from his home on October 7 in front of his wife and driven to Gaza in his own car by Hamas terrorists.
At the time of his capture, Mantzur weighed just over 54 kg., which caused extra concern for his health if he had been alive in captivity. Hostages who have since been released have spoken about the difficult conditions in Gaza, including the lack of food.
In an earlier interview with The Jewish News, Mantzur’s granddaughter Noam Safir said, “He is the glue of our family. We just want him home.”
Reactions from Israeli officials and organizations
Mantzur immigrated to Israel as a child with his family from Baghdad, in 1941.
Kissufim held a ceremony on the anniversary of October 7, paying tribute to those who had been killed or taken hostage. During the ceremony, the kibbutz members stated, “We are not speaking about him right now – we are speaking directly to him.”
A recurring theme in the ceremony and the ethos of Kissufim lies in its name, which means “to miss” or “to long for.”
Mantzur leaves behind his wife, five siblings, five children, and 12 grandchildren.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote, “We will not rest or be silent” until Mantzur’s body is brought back to Israel for a proper burial.
Defense Minister Israel Katz offered his condolences, saying, “We will continue to work in every way to return all the hostages, living and dead. This is our moral duty and our highest priority.”
National Unity Party Leader Benny Gantz offered his condolences as well: “We had hoped to see the late Shlomo Mantzur return home. He was one of the builders of the land.”
President Isaac Herzog said, “I send all my support and strength to the Mansour family and the community of Kibbutz Kissufim, who have received the bitter and painful news of the murder of Shlomo Mantzur, who was taken hostage on October 7.
I send all my support and strength to the Mansour family and the community of Kibbutz Kissufim, who have received the bitter and painful news of the murder of Shlomo Mansour, who was taken hostage on October 7. About a month ago, I had the privilege of meeting his incredible… pic.twitter.com/SaGvDbOsIG
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) February 11, 2025
“Shlomo was a talented carpenter, a modest and kind-hearted family and community man who radiated warmth and love to all those around him. We will continue to do everything in our power to bring Shlomo home to be laid to rest in dignity and to bring back all our hostages – both the living and the fallen – until the very last one,” he said.