Bodies of hostages Tamir Adar and Arie Zalmanowicz brought back to Israel

The bodies of hostages Tamir Adar and Arie (Aryeh) Zalmanowicz, both members of Kibbutz Nir Oz, were returned to Israel on Tuesday evening via the Red Cross after 746 days in Hamas captivity.

Aryeh was 86 when he was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023.

He was murdered about five weeks into captivity in Gaza. A father of two and grandfather of five, Aryeh was one of the founders of the Kibbutz, where he had lived since 1957 — devoted to his community and family until his final days.

He was initially held in Gaza alongside Israeli-Bedouin Farhan Al-Qadi, who was later rescued alive in August 2024. After his rescue, Al-Qadi shared with Aryeh’s family that he spent his last weeks speaking of his family, his friends, and his beloved kibbutz — the home he helped build and that was destroyed before his eyes.

The Hostages and Missing Family Forum has paid tribute to “a man of books with extensive knowledge of history and the land” who “dedicated his life to agriculture and field crops, specialising in wheat cultivation under Negev conditions.”

The organisation said that it “bows its head in sorrow and shares in the profound grief of the Zalmanowicz family. There are no words to express the depth of this pain.”

Tamir Adar 38, a third-generation member of the Nir Oz kibbutz, was a deputy security officer and member of its rapid response team.

On the morning of 7 October 2023, Tamir rushed to help the kibbutz security team, telling his wife and children to stay safe in their reinforced room. He was severely injured while defending his community during a heroic battle against hundreds of terrorists.

He did not survive and his body was abducted into Gaza, where it was held for more than two years.

His grandmother, Yaffa Adar, was also kidnapped on 7 October 2023 and released 48 days later.

Tamir is survived by his wife Hadas, children Asaf and Neta, parents Yael and Moshe, and siblings Nir, Inbar, and Roni. A beloved mentor at the Ramon Educational Foundation, he inspired countless young people before fulfilling his dream of becoming a farmer on his kibbutz.

In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum called Tamir Adar, “a devoted family man and father. A lover of people and the land, a farmer at heart, who even as a child cherished nature walks and the kibbutz fields, often taking his young children to watch the sunset.

“Tamir loved music in general and Meir Ariel in particular, was a great conversationalist, sociable, and warm-hearted. A man who knew how to listen, lead, and guide. A passionate Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter, always surrounded by friends. The Hostages’ Families Forum mourns and bows its head in memory of Tamir and shares in the profound grief of the Adar family. The hostages are running out of time. We must bring them all home, now!”