Hostage Ohad Yahlomi's body was returned to Israel last night and identified this morning.
Yahlomi, aged 50, was captured while injured from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. His 12-year-old son Eitan was also kidnapped and released during the first deal in November 2023.
Kibbutz Nir Oz mourned Yahlomi: “Ohad was a dedicated and loving family man. He was a sports enthusiast, an avid hiker, and knew every trail in the desert he so loved.”
“For years he worked at the Nature and Parks Authority and dedicated his life to preserving nature. Out of his great love for the desert, he published a scorpion guide with partners and was involved in educational initiatives in the Bedouin community.”
During the October 7th massacre, Ohad and his family entered their bomb shelter. When Hamas forces broke into their home, Ohad stayed outside the safe room to protect his family, realizing the safe room door was faulty and couldn’t be locked.
Ohad fought the the terrorists and was injured. While injured, Yahlomi witnessed the kidnapping of his family members, but his wife Batsheva managed to escape with their two daughters (a ten-year-old and a toddler) after the motorcycle they were abducted on encountered an Israeli tank.
Batsheva and her daughters walked through a field of thorns for three and a half hours barefoot until they reached the kibbutz.
The Nature and Parks Authority mourned Yahalomi, who had been the director of the southern region of the park rangers in recent years, saying: "Ohad, who dedicated his energy and experience to the cause of nature conservation in Israel, was a role model for us. A man who devoted his energy and experience to the cause of nature conservation in Israel, and who influenced greatly the cause of the environment and the landscape."
"The family of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority extends its condolences to the Yahalomi family, and pledges to stand by them in their hour of need. Ohad began his career in the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in the Southern District as a field ranger in the Judean Desert between 2006 and 2013, and then went on to fill other positions until he joined the park rangers as the Southern District Manager in 2019. His dedicated work and extraordinary approach to people and communities made him beloved by the Authority staff and the wider community."
"The Nature and Parks Authority assures that Ohad's legacy will continue to resonate for many years to come, and pledges to continue the struggle to preserve open spaces and natural and human values, which Ohad so loved. The Yahalomi family is part of the Nature and Parks Authority, and the Authority will continue to accompany, support and assist the family."
French President Emmanuel Macron commented on the news of Ohad's death, noting that he had been a French citizen as well. "The death of our compatriot Ohad Yahalomi has just been confirmed. I share the immense pain of his family and loved ones. France lost fifty of its children in the infamy of October 7. Hamas' barbarity must end."