Baruch Dayan HaEmet
Body of Hostage Eliyahu (Churchill) Margalit Returned to Israel
After more than two years, the remains of Eliyahu (Churchill) Margalit, the 75-year-old kibbutz member murdered and abducted from Nir Oz on October 7, have been returned to Israel. Margalit, affectionately known as “Churchill,” was a devoted husband, father of three, and grandfather of three
The body of Eliyahu (Churchill) Margalit, who was kidnapped and murdered by Hamas during the October 7, 2023** massacre, has been returned to Israel for burial.
Margalit, 75, was abducted from a horse stable in Kibbutz Nir Oz and later declared dead on December 1, 2023. His daughter, Nili Margalit, was also kidnapped that day and released in the first hostage deal (“Heaven’s Doors”) in November 2023.
Following identification by the National Center of Forensic Medicine, in cooperation with the Israel Police and the *DF Rabbinate, military representatives informed the family that his remains had been recovered.
An IDF statement confirmed that, based on available intelligence, Margalit was murdered by Hamas and his body taken to Gaza.
He is survived by his wife, three children, and grandchildren.
Israeli officials emphasized that Hamas must fulfill its commitments under the agreement and work to return all remaining hostages and the bodies of fallen captives for proper burial.
With Margalit’s return, 18 bodies of Israeli hostages are still believed to remain in Gaza.
The body of Eliyahu (Churchill) Margalit, the hostage who was murdered on October 7, has been returned to Israel.
Kibbutz Nir Oz announced:
"After more than two years, the body of the fallen hostage Eliyahu (Churchill) Margalit z”l, who was murdered on October 7 in Kibbutz Nir Oz and abducted to Gaza, has been brought home.
Churchill, 75, was married to Daphna, father to Noa, Dani, and Nili, and grandfather to three. He was known for his great love of animals, nature, and the kibbutz, and for many years managed the cattle branch with dedication and care. He especially loved his horses and taught generations of kibbutz children how to ride.
Over the years, he often rode with his friends, with whom he shared over 50 years of horseback adventures in the group ‘Southern Rider,’ across Israel’s landscapes and around the world.
On the morning of October 7, he left his home’s shelter to check on his horses, where he was murdered by terrorists and kidnapped to Gaza.”
Israeli officials emphasized that Hamas must fulfill its commitments under the agreement and work to return all remaining hostages and the bodies of fallen captives for proper burial.
With Margalit’s return, 18 bodies of Israeli hostages are still believed to remain in Gaza.