Israel announces recovery of fourth hostage’s body
The Israel Defence Forces announced it recovered the body of a fourth hostage on Saturday night, 53-year-old Ron Benjamin.
Israeli hostage Ron Benjamin, who was killed by Palestinian terrorists during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israeli communities. Photo courtesy the family
The IDF said his body was recovered during a Thursday night military operation along with the remains of Amit Buskila, Shani Louk and Itzhak Gelerenter. The IDF announced the recovery of those three on Friday.
Benjamin, a resident of Rehovot, was last seen leaving his house on the morning of October 7 to go bicycling with friends in the area of Kibbutz Be’eri. The ride was cancelled when the sirens in the area went off at around 6:30 AM that morning. Benjamin messaged his family that he was returning home but never made it back.
It took military intelligence two months to confirm his body was taken to Gaza.
IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that the location of the four hostages was determined from interrogations of Palestinian terrorists in Israeli custody.
Benjamin is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Buskila, Louk and Gelerenter were abducted from the Nova music festival at Kibbutz Re’im.
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 128 remaining hostages, some 40 are believed dead.
