The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have recovered the body of another hostage taken by Hamas terrorists on the day of the Oct. 7 massacre.
The announcement was made on May 18 and came on the back of another made the day before that the bodies of three hostages had been recovered and returned during a special operation.
“His body was rescued along with the bodies of Yitzhak Gelernter, Shani Louk, and Amit Buskila,” an IDF statement said.
The IDF identified the newly recovered hostage as 53-year-old Ron Benjamin, a father of two who was abducted by Hamas terrorists near the Gaza border on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023.
Mr. Benjamin was returning home from a planned bike ride that was cut short by the sounding of air defense sirens, just before the attack.
“Tonight, we are sharing the tragic news that the Israel Defense Forces together with the ISA [Israel Security Agency], rescued the body of the Israeli hostage, Ron Benjamin, and brought him home to Israel,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a press briefing.
Mr. Benjamin was murdered near the Mefalsim kibbutz. His body was then taken to Gaza, Mr. Hagari said.
“On October 7th, the cruelty of Hamas was directed against anyone who stood in the way of the murderous terrorists—women, the elderly, adults, children, whether they were Israeli or foreign nationals,” according to the briefing.
Ms. Louk, Ms. Buskila, and Mr. Gelernter were also abducted and murdered on the day of the massacre, and their bodies were taken to Gaza.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that last night the Israel Defense Forces and ISA forces rescued the bodies of our hostages,” Mr. Hagari said in the May 17 statement.
According to an IDF assessment, the three individuals were attending the Nova Music Festival that took place on Oct. 7 near Re’im, an Israeli community located about four miles from the Gaza fence.
In the May 18 briefing, Mr. Hagari expressed condolences to the grieving families.
“Our thoughts are with all their families at this very difficult time,” he said.
More than 1,200 people were killed in the massacre on Oct. 7, and more than 240 people were taken hostage by the Hamas terrorist group. Multiple hostages have since been killed, and the IDF believes dozens more have perished at the hands of the terrorist group.
Hamas has blamed Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip for the deaths of additional hostages.
Since the attack, some of the hostages have been released, but more than 120 remain in captivity.
“Our mission [is] to bring home every single one of the one hundred and twenty-eight hostages who are still being held in Gaza,” Mr. Hagari said in the May 18 press briefing.