Hostage Body's Identification Confirmed
Slain Nir Oz Hero Ronen Engel Returned Home: "Not What We Hoped, But It's Here"
The body of Ronen Engel, killed defending Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, has been returned to Israel. His wife and daughters were previously released from Hamas captivity.
The long, agonizing wait for the family of Ronen Engel, a hero and father abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, came to a heartbreaking close this morning. Forensic identification confirmed that one of two bodies handed over by Hamas overnight belongs to Engel, bringing his remains home 744 days after the October 7, 2023, massacre.
The transfer of remains was coordinated with the Red Cross early Sunday morning, followed by immediate DNA testing at Israel's National Institute of Forensic Medicine. The identification confirmed the worst fears of the family, providing a painful form of closure after nearly two years of uncertainty. The identification process for the second body remains underway.
A Volunteer Medic and a Family Defender
Ronen Engel, 54, a beloved resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was a passionate photographer, motorcyclist, and volunteer medic with Magen David Adom (MDA). On the morning of the attack, the father of three acted on instinct, leaving the sealed safe room where he had sheltered his wife and daughters to confront the invading Hamas terrorists.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement detailing his final, heroic moments. Engel was shot and killed while defending his community, and his body was subsequently dragged into the Gaza Strip, where Hamas held his remains.
His wife, Karina, and his two daughters, Mika (18) and Yuval (11), were kidnapped in the same attack. They were held captive for 50 days before being released in the November 2023 ceasefire exchange. However, the family's ordeal continued, as Israeli authorities informed them in December 2023 that Ronen had been killed and his body remained hostage in Gaza.
Daughter Mika: A Painful Homecoming
Responding to the devastating news, Ronen's daughter Mika Engel took to social media to express the family's complex emotions.
"After 744 days, my father finally returned home," Mika wrote on Instagram. "It’s not what we hoped, it’s not what we wished for him, but it’s finally here."
The Engel family, supported by the Hostages Forum, released a statement reiterating their commitment to the national cause:
"Our hearts are with all the families. We won’t stop until the final slain hostage is returned home."
Israeli officials confirmed the identification and extended their condolences, thanking the forensic and intelligence teams involved. The return of Engel's remains is part of ongoing efforts to secure the repatriation of all remaining bodies held by the militant group in Gaza.
Ronen Engel is also survived by his son, Tom, who was not at the kibbutz on October 7, and his brother, Dani. His return marks a solemn step toward laying to rest one of the brave defenders of the Gaza periphery communities.