The IDF said on Sunday that three soldiers who were abducted during the Hamas massacre and held in Gaza, were likely killed as a result of an airstrike. Their bodies were extracted and returned to Israel last December.
Sergeant Ron Sherman, Corporal Nick Baizer, and Elia Toledano—were probably killed in a strike targeting a senior member of Hamas, Ahmed Randor, on November 10.
IDF spokesperson said its assessment is based on various data points, including the location of the bodies relative to the strike, performance analysis of the operation, intelligence findings, and autopsy reports. However, the exact circumstances of their deaths remain uncertain.
The report further reveals the hostages were held in a tunnel complex used by Randour. At the time of the strike, IDF had no information indicating hostages were present in the targeted area. In fact, intelligence suggested they were elsewhere. The spokesperson stressed the IDF's commitment to avoiding strikes in areas where hostages might be held and employs a dedicated command mechanism to prevent harm to captives, while making concerted efforts to gather information about their whereabouts.
The tunnel network from which Sherman, Baizer, and Toledano's bodies were recovered also yielded the remains of other hostages, including Eden Zacharia and Warrant Officer Ziv Dado. According to the IDF, the destroyed tunnel system comprised multiple levels and was used for command and control and terrorist movement. Deep within, the tunnels contained weaponry, weapons production infrastructure and emergency lodging facilities equipped with amenities such as air conditioning and water coolers.
Ron Sherman's mother, Maayan Sherman, said she received a pamphlet from Hamas on November 1, warning that Israeli bombings could kill her son. By November 12, officials began inquiring about Ron's tattoos, scars, and birthmarks, requesting DNA samples, suggesting they already knew of his death. It wasn't until December 15 that the family was officially informed of Ron's murder in captivity.
Families received the results of the external investigation only about two weeks later and the toxicology tests months afterward. "During the mourning period, I was still tormented by thoughts of how Ron was murdered. Was he shot, or dismembered? Those were the thoughts running through my mind. (Journalist) Ilana Dayan visited us during the mourning period and whispered a sentence to me that I didn't understand at the time; she said I should look into Randor."
In January, IDF allowed the publication of a pathological report from the autopsies of Sherman and Beizer, which found no signs of trauma or gunshot wounds. This indicated that they were not killed by the direct impact of the strike on the tunnel where Randour was eliminated nearby. Elia Toledano's body was also found at the same location.
Ahmed Randor, a high-ranking Hamas official and head of the group's rocket array, was killed in a military strike in early November. This occurred just days after Hamas issued a warning about hostages being near its senior figures.
First published: 18:14, 09.15.24