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Saturday, May 18, 2024
IDF: Body of hostage Ron Benjamin recovered from Gaza, in addition to three others announced Friday
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari in a press conference says the military recovered the body of an additional hostage from the Gaza Strip, after announcing yesterday that three slain captives were returned in a special mission.
The hostage is named as 53-year-old Ron Benjamin, who was abducted by Hamas on the morning of October 7.
Hagari says Benjamin was killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7 near Mefalsim, and his body was taken hostage to Gaza.
His body was recovered alongside those of Itzhak Gelerenter, Amit Buskila, and Shani Louk in the Thursday night operation, Hagari says.
Benjamin was last heard from at 7:30 a.m. on October 7, when he left a voice message for one of his two daughters, then traveling abroad, telling her he was heading home to Rehovot from a planned group bike ride near the Gaza border, given the cascade of rockets.
That morning, Benjamin had set out at 6:30 a.m. to meet up with friends for a bike ride near Kibbutz Be’eri. When he heard the sirens, he decided to turn around and head home. He spoke with his wife, Ayelet, and left a message for his daughter.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
