Rescued hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi on Thursday shed light on his time in Hamas captivity and the tragic death of another captive, Arie Zalmanovicz, 86, from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
According to Alkadi, Zalmanovicz, whose death in captivity was confirmed in December by Israeli authorities, was alongside him until his last moments and may have died because Hamas terrorists denied him proper care.
On Wednesday, it was reported that Alkadi, following his rescue, recounted seeing a deceased hostage beside him during their captivity. Zalmanovicz, a founding member of Nir Oz, was the oldest hostage held by Hamas. He leaves behind two sons and five grandchildren.
Nir Oz issued a statement following the news, blaming the Hamas captors of deliberately denying Zalmanovicz essential medicine.
“About two weeks ago, a chilling video was released documenting the moments of our friend Arie Zalmanovicz’s abduction from his home. Today, we learned of Farhan Alkadi’s testimony, who was rescued from captivity. He reported seeing Arie dying beside him after being denied necessary medication and medical treatment. This account completes the painful picture for us, revealing the hellish moments Arie endured from his abduction to his tragic end. It serves as a disturbing firsthand testimony of what the remaining hostages in Gaza are experiencing.”
Alkadi was extracted from a tunnel in southern Gaza in what security officials described as a “complex operation.”
During his debriefing, he disclosed for the first time that he was moved underground shortly after witnessing a murder. He explained that he was initially taken to an apartment rather than a tunnel, where he saw one of his fellow captives dying while their captors filmed the incident. Alkadi stated, “Immediately afterward, they filmed me too, and then I saw how he was killed.”
In November, approximately 40 days after his abduction, Hamas released a 28-second video showing Zalmanovicz lying on a bed, connected to a monitor and complaining of feeling unwell. Later footage showed him motionless and covered with a white sheet.
Earlier this month, a video and photographs were released for the first time showing Zalmanovicz during his abduction from his home in Nir Oz to Gaza. The footage depicts the 85-year-old being transported on a motorcycle, flanked by his captors, while surrounded by dozens of cheering Gazans attempting to approach and strike him.
The kibbutz further stated: “We appeal once again to all involved parties, especially to the Israeli government and its leader—every additional moment in captivity poses a real threat to the hostages’ lives. There’s no time for hesitation or delays. Everyone must be brought home now before it’s too late. Every moment is critical, and any delay could result in more lost lives.”
