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Kibbutz Nir Oz is reeling from the confirmed death of Yair “Yaya” Yaakov, who disappeared during the Hamas onslaught on October 7.
The kibbutz announced on Thursday that Yaakov, 59, had been killed on the day of the attack, and his body was being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Yaakov’s disappearance had left his family and the community in agonizing uncertainty, clinging to hope for his safe return.
His partner, Meirav Tal, and their two sons, Or, 16, and Yagil, 12, were also taken by Hamas during the attack.
While Or and Yagil were eventually released as part of a truce deal, Tal, who is not the boys’ mother, was freed a day later.
The grim confirmation of Yaakov’s death has shattered the hopes of his loved ones.
Survived by Meirav and his three children, Shir, Or, and Yagil, Yaakov was described by the kibbutz as a “modest, simple man, who loved his family, the land, and music.”
The last communication from the couple on October 7 revealed the terror they faced as Tal messaged at 9:20 a.m., reporting terrorists’ intrusion into their home and Yaakov’s brave attempt to secure the safe room.
Tragically, video evidence later showed that the terrorists resorted to grenades to breach the fortified room.
The ordeal of the Yaakovs was part of a larger tragedy on that fateful day, with 72 hostages taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz and a total of 253 kidnapped amid the brutal onslaught on southern Israel by Hamas.
The IDF’s investigations have grimly revealed that 30 of the remaining 130 hostages kidnapped that day are no longer alive, some killed during the initial attack and others while in captivity.
Efforts to secure the release of hostages have seen partial success with a weeklong truce in late November leading to the liberation of 105 hostages from Gaza.
Additionally, three hostages have been rescued alive by troops, while the bodies of 11 hostages, including three mistakenly killed by the military, have been recovered.
As the community mourns the loss of Yaakov and others, the Hostage Families Forum has issued a fervent plea to the government to expedite negotiations with Hamas to secure the release of the remaining hostages before it’s too late.
The tragic fate of Yair “Yaya” Yaakov serves as a stark reminder of the human toll exacted by conflict and the urgent need for resolution to prevent further loss of life and suffering.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members