In an unimaginable act of barbarism, Hamas has added another name to the ever-growing list of Israeli civilians subjected to unthinkable cruelty. Shlomo Mansour, an 86-year-old beloved husband, father, grandfather, and Holocaust survivor, was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Kisufim during the horrific Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023. For months, his family clung to hope, believing he would be among those released in the first wave of hostage negotiations. But today, the Israeli Defense Forces confirmed the worst: Shlomo was not just a hostage—he was murdered on the very day of his abduction, his body held hostage in Gaza ever since.
A Community in Mourning
"With heavy hearts, we received the devastating news this morning of the murder of our dear friend, Shlomo Mansour, aged 86, who was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Kisufim during the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023," the kibbutz announced in a statement, mourning the loss of a man who had been an anchor in their close-knit community for over seven decades.
86-year-old Shlomo Mansour survived the Farhud Massacre as a child in Baghdad.
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) February 11, 2025
Today, his family was notified that he was murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7, and his body is still being held hostage in Gaza.
There are no words.
May his memory be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/0lvCo4VCeI
His family, shattered and heartbroken, released their own painful declaration: "We received the devastating news from IDF representatives about the murder of our beloved and cherished Shlomo. He was the cornerstone of our entire family. A man of high moral values and principles, a humanitarian who always helped others wholeheartedly. We call on decision-makers to make a brave and principled decision to bring all hostages home immediately – the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial in their homeland."
A Birthday He Never Reached
Had Hamas not torn him from his home, Shlomo Mansour would have celebrated his 87th birthday this coming March. Instead, he endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of his captors. On that fateful Saturday, as the massacre at Kibbutz Kisufim unfolded, terrorists bound him, beat him, and dragged him from his home as his wife, Mazal, stood powerless, forced to witness the nightmare.
The Hamas terrorists who infiltrated the kibbutz murdered at least 12 of his fellow community members, along with six Thai workers. For months, his family spoke of their agony, with his nieces Naama and Hadar Cohen describing the horror: "Close your eyes and imagine your grandfather sitting in Hamas tunnels, freezing with only an undershirt on his body, eating a quarter of a pita bread per day, thinking he's been forgotten. Our hearts break, and there are no words to describe it."
Shlomo Mansour z"l survived the Farhud & was murdered by Hamas
— أميرة ح | Amira H (@baytifirasik) February 11, 2025
But his real story isn't how he died but what he helped create:
A family of 5 children, 12 grandchildren
An oasis community
A forest, citrus groves.
[I used to love weekend walks to Kisufim 💚]#BringThemHomeNow pic.twitter.com/uUiViGjgXO
A Family Left in Pieces
Shlomo was not just another name on a list of victims; he was a man of immense warmth and wisdom, a beacon of love for his five children and twelve grandchildren. His mustache, which had become one of his signatures, was fondly remembered by his loved ones. "I love and miss the tickling kiss with the mustache," one family member shared. "I appeal to the world – help us bring back Shlomo and all the hostages with him."
During Hanukkah, a time meant for miracles and light, his family clung to the menorah he had crafted years ago. His daughter Batya, her voice laced with sorrow, admitted: "We haven't celebrated holidays for a long time; for us, there are no holidays. But Hanukkah is a holiday of miracles, wishes, and prayers, so we observe the holiday's commandments hoping our wishes might come true. Hanukkah is a holiday of miracles, but I expect decision-makers not to wait for miracles."
"There is no depths, no ends to the depravity, the cruelty and the monstrous evil of Hamas. Absolutely no one is spared."
— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) February 11, 2025
My comments on @SkyNewsAust, following confirmation that 86-year-old Shlomo Mansour was murdered by Hamas on Oct 7th and his body still held captive in Gaza! pic.twitter.com/P9grzPIU9D
A Survivor Who Deserved a Peaceful Life
Shlomo Mansour was no stranger to the cruelty of anti-Semitic violence. As a child, he survived the Farhud pogrom in Iraq, an eruption of brutal violence against Jews in 1941. His niece previously recounted: "He witnessed with his own eyes the abuse of Muslim rioters against his family and acquaintances. Horrors that the mind refuses to process and the hand refuses to write. He immigrated to Israel convinced that no harm would come to him. He initially lived in a shack, and at age 15 arrived at Kibbutz Kisufim, believing the state would do everything to protect him."
But even Israel, his homeland and safe haven, was not enough to protect him from the savagery of Hamas. He was meant to live out his days in peace, surrounded by the laughter of his grandchildren and the comfort of his family. Instead, his life was violently taken from him, and his body remains imprisoned in Gaza, denied the dignity of a proper burial.
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.
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) February 11, 2025
About a month ago, I had the privilege of meeting his incredible… pic.twitter.com/SaGvDbOsIG
A Call for Action
Shlomo's daughter Batya made a heart-wrenching plea: "It's not real until we see it happen. There might be a bit more hope, but the fear doesn't disappear; on the contrary, it's much greater because there's also the fear of disappointment, as we've seen what happened before. Dad should have been home long ago."
The world cannot remain indifferent. The atrocities of October 7 were not just a single-day event—they continue, every second that Hamas holds bodies hostage and every moment that families remain in agonizing limbo. The demand is simple and urgent: Bring them home. Bring back the living, so they may heal. Bring back the murdered, so they may be laid to rest with dignity.
86-year-old Shlomo Mansour survived the Farhud Massacre in June 1941 as a child in Baghdad.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 11, 2025
Today, his family was notified that he was murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7, and his body is still being held hostage in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/QEWIpjdBi2
The story of Shlomo Mansour is not just one of tragedy—it is a testament to the depths of human cruelty and the resilience of those left behind. May his memory be a blessing, and may justice be swift and uncompromising.
