Overview

• Itay Svirsky, 38, was kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on Kibbutz Be'eri, which also claimed the lives of his parents.
• Svirsky was held in captivity for months and appeared in a January video released by Hamas, which claimed he was killed in an Israeli airstrike, a claim disputed by the IDF.
• The Israeli military and Shin Bet conducted a special operation to recover Svirsky’s body, providing closure for his family and enabling a proper burial in Israel.
• Hamas's claims that Israeli airstrikes killed hostages have been challenged by investigations, which concluded that six other hostages were likely executed by Hamas following a February strike.
• Approximately 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with both living and deceased captives yet to be returned to their families.