The oldest Gaza hostage, Shlomo Mansour, is spending his 86th birthday in Hamas captivity.
His sister, Hadassah Lazar, said on Sunday that: "Today Shlomo is 86 years old, there are 16 years between us and I am his little sister forever. Every year he celebrates with his family, the children surprise him with a cake, with congratulations, with songs. He has 5 children and 12 grandchildren. He lives it up with beer, sometimes wine too."
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Mansour immigrated to Israel at the age of 13 with his parents, after escaping the Farhud riots in Iraq.
"He saw very difficult sights and, as a result, the family decided to immigrate to Israel in 1951. At the age of 16, Shlomo received an offer from his youth movement to join Kibbutz Kissufim, became one of the founders of the kibbutz, and lived there for 70 years. All the members of the kibbutz love him, from the youngest to the oldest. He worked in all areas of the farm, he taught the little children carpentry, they all love Grandpa Shlomo. The handyman, he likes to fix things, builds and creates all kinds of things from wood; everything that is given to him turns into gold. His great love for the kibbutz could be seen also in his house, in the garden that he cultivated so beautifully. This is a man who loves to love; with a smile from ear to ear. I wish the human scum that kidnapped him noticed, he surely melted them," Hadassah said.
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Shlomo Mansour immigrated to Israel at the age of 13 after the Farhud riots in Iraq
(Courtesy of the family)
No sign of life has been received from Mansour, who was kidnapped from his home on October 7.
"Kidnapping a man at this age? Handcuffing him? As if he is some 18-year-old boy who can resist. With Muslims, respect for an adult is so important, and they humiliated him," his sister shouts. "We have not been able to sleep since."
"There is no day and no night, we are suffering deeply. It hurts me that today, on this day, the man who is always the first to bless everyone on their birthday because he always remembers everyone, is not here with us," she said. "We don't know if our blessings now will reach him. I just read the blessing I wrote to him last year, I wished him that the sun would light up his life, that he would have miracles and wonders. My heart is torn. I am praying for some kind of miracle with the negotiations that are happening now. A week ago, he and his wife were supposed to celebrate their 60th anniversary. He is a true noble soul and such a special person, and we haven't received any information about him for almost six months."