Kibbutz Be’eri announced Saturday morning that 25-year-old Shahar Baruch, who was abducted alive to the Gaza Strip by Hamas terrorists on October 7, was murdered in captivity.
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His brother, Idan Baruch, was murdered in the surprise attack as the two tried to escape their home which was torched by terrorists. His grandmother, Geula Bachar, was also killed in the attack.
Baruch's aunt, Meirav Barkai, said that on the morning of October 7, he and his brother Idan were at their mother's house in Be’eri, and entered the safe room when rocket sirens and gunfire were heard, "but they couldn't lock the door so they pushed a closet to block the entrance. The terrorists threw three grenades into the safe room, Idan was injured, and Sahar treated his injuries."
According to her, "When the house started burning down, they decided to jump out. Idan jumped first, and he was shot and killed shortly afterward. Sahar stayed behind."
The Abducted and Missing Families Forum said, "We will demand the return of his body as part of any future hostage release deal. We won’t stop until all captives return home."
Baruch has been listed as missing since and his family did not know whether he was taken dead or alive. On Friday, Hamas released a video where he appears to be talking, and later his body is seen mutilated and covered in blood, claiming, that he was "killed" during an IDF operation to release the captives in Gaza.
IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari reported Friday that two soldiers were severely injured overnight during an operation in the Gaza Strip to rescue captives held by Hamas. The operation was launched following military intelligence received on the hostages, but they weren’t found in the location specified.
So far, the military’s ground operation in Gaza enabled the rescue of one captive since the beginning of the war, that of IDF lookout Ori Megidish.
"The forces engaged a Hamas target and eliminated terrorists who were involved in the abduction and holding of Israeli hostages. We failed to rescue captives in this operation. We will continue to carry out operations and reconnaissance missions," Hagari said.