The body of 75-year-old Eliyahu “Churchill” Margalit Hy”d, who was murdered and abducted by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, was returned to Israel on Friday night.

Margalit’s body was positively identified after being transferred to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv. The IDF had previously confirmed his death in December 2023, saying his body was being held in Gaza. His daughter, Nili Margalit, was also taken hostage during the October 7th massacre but was released from captivity on November 30.

Eliyahu Margalit is survived by his wife, Daphna, his children Noa, Danny, and Nili, and three grandchildren.

On Motzei Shabbos, the IDF announced that troops had brought back two additional caskets containing the apparent remains of hostages from Gaza. The bodies have been transferred to Abu Kabir for identification, a process expected to take up to two days. Hamas did not provide their identities.

If confirmed, the latest recoveries would mean that 16 bodies of hostages remain held in Gaza, down from the 28 that were believed to be there at the start of the current ceasefire.