Hundreds gathered Sunday at Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel to lay to rest returned hostage Dror Or, who was murdered during the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, and whose body was abducted to Gaza. His remains were returned to Israel on Tuesday as part of the war-ending deal.
Among those attending the funeral were former hostages Gadi Mozes and Eli Sharabi, as well as family members of other freed hostages. On the way to Be’eri, residents formed a convoy along Route 232, waving Israeli flags to honor Or.
The funeral procession and flag procession in honor of the late Dror Or
"Some 786 days since Hamas murderers extended their evil hands against our sons and daughters in Kibbutz Be’eri and throughout the western Negev. And today, finally, after over two years of agony and pain, Dror Or — the final abducted fatality of the kibbutz from that horrific massacre — is laid to rest in the soil of the kibbutz he so deeply loved," President Isaac Herzog said in eulogizing Or.
"Great sorrow and grief accompany the people of Israel today, alongside the Or family and the entire community of Be’eri — a remarkable kibbutz that suffered greatly but never lost its human spirit or its sense of mutual responsibility. His memory, and the memory of all the kibbutz’s loved ones, will serve as a guiding light for our commitment to unity, to hope and to the return of the two hostages still held in Gaza," he added.
Dror Or, a father of three — Yahli, Noam and Alma — was initially listed as abducted after the massacre. His partner, Yonat Or, was confirmed murdered in the early hours of the attack. Their two children, Noam and Alma, were kidnapped and released in the hostage deal on November 25, 2023. Upon their return, they revealed they had not known their mother had been killed. Nearly two years later, Dror’s body was recovered and brought home for burial.
For 15 years, Or managed the kibbutz dairy and was known for producing its boutique cheeses. His family described him as “a man of peace, creativity and love.” Contact with Dror, Yonat and the children was lost on October 7. Two weeks after the massacre, Yonat’s body was found, and the others were confirmed kidnapped. In May 2024, months after the children were freed, the kibbutz announced that Dror had been murdered on the day of the attack. His eldest son Yahli survived — he had been on a service year program in northern Israel at the time.
Two deceased hostages remain in Gaza:
Sgt. First Class Ran Gvili, 24, from Meitar, served in the elite Yamam police unit and was killed defending Kibbutz Alumim. Despite a fractured shoulder from a motorcycle accident and a pending surgery, Gvili deployed to the south and helped save dozens of lives at the Nova music festival before falling in battle. His body was taken into Gaza. He is survived by his parents, Itzik and Talik, and siblings Omri and Shira.
Sudthisak Rinthalak, 43, a Thai national, was murdered in the Be’eri orchards on October 7 and abducted to Gaza. A longtime agricultural worker, he had immigrated to Israel in 2017 to support his family.