Elad Katzir was murdered in January by the jihadists - his body was found buried

April 6, 2024   

The IDF and Shin Bet announced on Saturday that the kidnapped Elad Katzir was murdered in captivity - and his body was recovered and returned to Israel. The body of 47-year-old Elad Katzir - whose father Avraham was murdered on October 7 and whose mother Hanna was also kidnapped and released in the deal - was recovered from Khan Yunis in an operation by the commando unit, directed by the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence. Elad Katzir was twice recorded in captivity by Islamic Jihad. Videos of him were released in December and January as part of the terrorist organization's propaganda, in which he asked for his release. Since then, his family has not known what happened to him. It is estimated that Elad was murdered by his captors as early as January, and his body has since been hidden in the Gaza Strip. Elad was kidnapped alive and recorded in captivity at least twice in videos. A joint statement released by the IDF and Shin Bet stated that according to the intelligence information received, he was murdered in captivity. "His body was located using intelligence information from the Military Intelligence and Shin Bet and precise identification by the Egoz unit. After an identification procedure carried out last night by medical officials at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, IDF and Shin Bet representatives informed the family of the late Elad Katzir that his body had been recovered." The operation was conducted overnight in the southern part of Khan Yunis, near the refugee camp. The body was found already buried, inside a combat compound in a densely built-up area. Reaching the target included fighting with terrorists, and the force acted quickly and with air escort. There was no encounter in the inner circle where the body was being held. According to a report on Channel 12, forces from the commando unit, which have been operating in the Khan Yunis area for several weeks, received intelligence information about the exact location where the body was hidden. Within a short time, they set out on a special operation, together with the 82nd Armored Battalion, the Egoz unit, and a paratrooper patrol - when the target was found In the heart of the crowded refugee camp. The forces quickly made their way through the crowded alleys. They were deployed in two main circles, with the leading force being a single Maglan unit that worked to locate the body, and the other units securing it. On the outskirts of the refugee camp, terrorists were identified and there was an exchange of gunfire, but the area where the body was hidden was isolated. In a special operation, which included digging, Elad's body was located. From there, it was transferred to Israel for official identification. The main information regarding the location of his body was revealed during interrogations of Islamic Jihad operatives who were captured in Shifa and Khan Yunis, and only reached the security system in recent days. A few minutes before the IDF, his sister, Carmit Palti-Katzir, announced Elad's murder and the recovery of his body: "We received bad news. Elad was brought to Israel last night, after being murdered in captivity. In the terrible reality that they have created for us, this is also a consolation. Elad will have a grave in Nir Oz. We will not We will remain uncertain." Kibbutz Nir Oz, where Elad Katzir lived, announced that Elad was murdered in captivity back in January. "Kibbutz Nir Oz announces with great sadness the murder of Elad Katzir in captivity in Gaza after suffering physical and mental torture for months," it said. "According to the information received from the IDF, Elad was murdered in captivity in January and his body was returned to Israel today during a military operation. "Elad was 47 years old, a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz. His father, the late Rami Katzir, was murdered in the massacre on October 7, and his mother, Hana Katzir, was also kidnapped on October 7 and released," the kibbutz eulogized. "Elad was a man of laughter, hugs and joy, fields and land. Especially loved by the children of the kibbutz, its friends and residents." The number of abductees now stands at 133, of whom 36 are no longer alive and their bodies are being held in Gaza.