Dror Or with his wife and three children
Israeli authorities confirmed today that the remains returned by Hamas and Islamic Jihad belong to Portuguese-Israeli hostage Dror Or Ermoza, 48. The body, transferred to Israel by the Red Cross yesterday, underwent a formal identification process before the official announcement.
Dror Or Ermoza was killed by Islamic Jihad terrorists alongside his wife during the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023. After his death, his body was taken to Gaza. His two youngest children, Alma and Noam, were abducted but released alive weeks later as part of an agreement reached in November 2023.
The office of the Israeli prime minister expressed its condolences: "The Israeli government shares in the deep sorrow of the Or family and of all the families of the fallen hostages".
Dror Or worked as the cheesemaker of Kibbutz Be’eri, where he was a well-known and beloved figure.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of abductees and missing persons, issued an emotional statement: "After 781 agonizing days during which his family fought day and night for him - Dror has been brought back to Israel for burial in the soil of Be’eri that he loved so dearly".
The bodies of Ran Gvili, a 26-year-old Portuguese-Israeli citizen, and Sudthisak Rinthalak, a 43-year-old Thai agricultural worker, remain in Hamas custody. Authorities continue to press for their return.
