The brother of Itzik Elgarat — abducted during Hamas’s October 7 massacre and returned to Israel months later in a coffin — says an autopsy reveals he was brutally tortured to death while in captivity.

Speaking Thursday, Danny Elgarat described the findings: multiple broken ribs, fractures in his toes, and a broken nose — injuries consistent, he said, with sustained violence and crushing force to the chest.

“Itzik did not die of a heart attack,” Danny declared. “Itzik was murdered with extreme cruelty.”

The National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv confirmed the injuries could be fatal but, for legal reasons, did not formally list the cause of death.

Danny Elgarat placed blame squarely on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, calling the cause of death “Mr. Abandonment” and accusing the government of failing to protect victims of October 7.

Last week — five months after his brother was laid to rest in Kibbutz Nir Oz — Danny says he saw disturbing footage of Itzik recorded in Gaza before his death. In the video, he appeared gaunt, frightened, and disoriented, pleading to be returned to his family.

“I saw in his eyes that he knew he would probably never get out of there alive,” Danny said. “We waited so long to see him alive, but not after he was dead.”

Itzik Elgarat was formally identified on February 27, 510 days after he was kidnapped to Gaza. His body was returned to Israel overnight as part of a hostage deal that also brought home the remains of three other hostages: Ohad Yahalomi, Shlomo Mansour, and Tzachi Idan.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)