Identification of deceased hostages: Prime Minister’s Office announcement – 22 October 2025

The Prime Minister’s Office, this morning (Wednesday, 22 october 2025) [translated from Hebrew]:

Following the completion of the identification process by the National Center of Forensic Medicine, in cooperation with the Israel Police and the IDF Rabbinate, IDF representatives informed the families of hostages Arie (Zalman) Zalmanovich, of blessed memory, and Master Sergeant (Res.) Tamir Adar, of blessed memory, the deputy local security commander and a member of the local security team, both from kibbutz nir Oz, that their loved ones had been returned to Israel and that their identification had been completed.

The Government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Zalmanovich and Adar families and all the families of the deceased hostages.

The Government and the entire establishment for the missing and the captives of the State of Israel are determined, committed, and working tirelessly to return all of our deceased hostages for proper burial in their country.

The Hamas terrorist organization is required to uphold its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement. We will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we return all of the deceased hostages, every last one of them.

May their memory be for a blessing.