Hamas in Gaza handed over the remains of Eliyahu Margalit, known by his nickname “Churchill,” to Israel overnight, as part of the ceasefire deal.
Margalit, 75, was murdered in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. He had gone out at 7 a.m. to feed his horses at the kibbutz’s stable, after which blood stains were found, broadcaster Channel 12 reported.
His body, as well as the horses, was taken to the Gaza Strip.
His daughter, Nili Margalit, 40, was abducted alive by Gaza “civilians,” and was released on Nov. 30, 2023, during the first hostage-terrorist swap agreement of the Swords of Iron war.
Eighteen bodies of hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, including the remains of Israel Defense Forces Lt. Hadar Goldin, held in the Strip since 2014.
Margalit “was 75 at the time of his death and is survived by his wife, three children and grandchildren,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.
The Margalit family said: “We announce with deep sorrow the return of our beloved, Eli (‘Churchill’) Margalit, home—742 days after he was murdered and abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. We thank the people of Israel for their support throughout the long struggle to bring him back, and we promise that we will not stop and will not rest until the last of the hostages is brought back for burial in Israel.”
Nir Oz issued a statement as well, saying that Margalit was married to Daphna, father to Noa, Dani, and Nili, and grandfather to three.
“He was known for his great love of animals, nature and the kibbutz, and for many years he managed the cattle branch with diligence and devotion. He especially loved his horses and taught generations of kibbutz children to ride. Over the years, he often went riding with his friends—with whom he had ridden for over 50 years in the Southern Riders group—on horseback trips across the landscapes of Israel and around the world,” the kibbutz said.
“On the morning of Oct. 7, he left the shelter in his home to check on his mares, where he was murdered by evildoers and abducted to Gaza. We will always remember him as a kind-hearted man whose life was filled with family, the kibbutz, nature and animals,” the statement added.
The Prime Minister’s Office said that the government shared the deep sorrow of the Margalit family and “of all the families of the murdered hostages.”
On Friday, Channel 12 reported that Hamas claimed it had retrieved all the bodies it could reach. An Israeli government source, however, was cited as saying that the terrorist organization could recover an additional “double-digit” number of hostages’ remains.
An international force composed of American, Turkish, Egyptian and Qatari personnel was slated to enter the Strip to begin locating the whereabouts of the remaining bodies on the basis of Israeli intelligence, broadcaster Channel 13 reported on Thursday.
The ceasefire came into effect on Oct. 10, potentially ending the war two years and four days after it began.
