A former Israeli hostage who was held by Hamas died of illness Tuesday, the first to pass away over a year after she was released alongside dozens of others in a hostage exchange deal.
A statement from her Nir Oz kibbutz announced the passing of Hanna Katzir, who was taken hostage with her son, Elad, during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
An Israeli government official meanwhile said she had been recognised as a victim of the Hamas attack.
"Hanna Katzir, 76, kidnapped from her home in Nir Oz during the massacre on October 7th and released during the ceasefire on November 24, 2023, died on December 24, 2024, after a complex medical situation since her release. She has been recognised as a victim of terrorism," the official said in a statement.
Katzir's husband, Rami, was killed in their home on that day. The body of Elad, 47, who later died in captivity, was brought back to Israel in April and buried in Nir Oz. Katzir was also buried on the kibbutz on Tuesday afternoon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent condolences to the Katzir family, writing in a statement that he would "work tirelessly to bring all of our hostages home".
The October 7 attack on Israel resulted in 1,208 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Militants seized 251 hostages during the attack, some of whom were already dead. Of those, 96 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the army says are dead.
Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed over 45,300 people in Gaza, according to figures from the territory's health ministry that the UN considers reliable.