Feb 27, 2025
The Jewish Federations of North America Statement on Slain Hostages
The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) mourn and pray for the families of Itzik Elgarat, Tsahi Idan, Shlomo Mantzur and Ohad Yahalomi, all taken hostage from their safe rooms and homes in a horrifying manner by Hamas terrorists on October 7. The last several weeks have been tragic in many ways, yet we remain amazed and proud of the resilience of the Israeli people as they stand strong during these times of grief. Jewish Federations stand in solidarity and pray with them during these times of mourning.
About the hostages:
Itzik Elgarat, 69, was trying to lock his safe room door when Hamas shot at the door, wounding Itzik. He was on the phone with his brother at the time and said “Danny, this is the end, this is the end.” Ninety minutes later, Danny saw on his phone that Itzik’s location was in Gaza. He later advocated for his brother’s release, and urged the public that if Itzik was dead, Hamas should keep his body and release a hostage that was alive.
Tsahi Idan, 50, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7 from his family’s safe room after his oldest daughter, Maayan, 18, was shot and killed through the safe room door, which Tsahi was holding shut. After seeing his daughter fall, Tsahi let the door open. His wife later told the media that Tsahi was unable to function after seeing Maayan lie dead. Terrorists took him captive but let wis wife and other children stay at home.
Shlomo Mantzur, 85, was killed in his home on October 7, yet Hamas terrorists still took his body. Shlomo escaped the antisemitic, 1941 Iraqi Farhud massacre and emigrated to Israel, only to face another pogrom 82 years later. Married with five children and 12 grandchildren, Shlomo was a carpenter who “broadcast optimism and lived in the here and now.”
Ohad Yahalomi, 50, was a hero who sat outside his family’s safe room and engaged in a gun battle with the terrorists who took his wife and three children hostage on mopeds. Ohad was shot in the leg and taken into captivity separately. His wife and two daughters managed to escape from the terrorists, running for three hours in flip-flops. Son Eitan, 12, was released in November 2023.
