Former Israeli hostage Shlomo Mansour was being laid to rest on Sunday following the return of his body from Gaza as part of the hostage deal with Hamas. Thousands of Israelis attended his funeral procession carrying Israeli and yellow flags symbolizing the hostages remaining in Hamas' hands.
Mansour, 85, was the oldest hostage held in Gaza. He was kidnapped on October 7 from his home in Kibbutz Kissufim, when terrorists took him and handcuffed him. His wife Mazal begged for her life and managed to escape.
Shlomo Mansour funeral procession
About two weeks ago, the kibbutz announced that it had been informed by the IDF that Shlomo had been murdered on October 7 and his body taken into Gaza. He is survived by five children and 12 grandchildren.
Hadassah Lazar, Shlomo Mansour's sister, last week confirmed that the family had been notified of the official identification of his remains at the National Center for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv.
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"None of this should have happened," she said. "It is heartbreaking that in our own country, we are forced to take solace in receiving a body to bury." Kibbutz Kissufim paid tribute to him, describing him as "a beloved and cherished figure."
"For us, Shlomo was the heart of our community—the grandfather to everyone," the kibbutz said in a statement. "Always with a warm smile, never forgetting a single birthday, always calling to say 'mazal tov.' He had a rare gift of making each person feel like they were the center of his world, through his warmth, kindness and selfless presence. His memory will stay with us forever. May his soul be bound in the bond of life. May his memory be a blessing."