Body of Kibbutz Nir Oz responder Aviv Atzili identified after Gaza recovery
The Israel Defence Forces on Sunday night identified Aviv Atzili as the second hostage whose body was recovered from Gaza in a June 11 military operation.
Israeli hostage Aviv Atzili, whose body was recovered by soldiers in Khan Yunis. Photo courtesy the family
Atzili, 49, was a father of three and a member of the civilian emergency response team in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
“Warrant Officer (res.) Aviv Atzili, of blessed memory, went out to fight terrorists on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, and fell in battle,” the IDF said, adding that his body was abducted by members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.
Atzili’s remains were located along with those of another hostage, Yair Yaakov, in a special operation in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.
Atzili’s name was withheld until his family was formally notified, according to Israeli media reports. His wife, Liat Beinin Atzili, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was also abducted on Oct. 7 but was released during the November 2023 ceasefire deal.
The IDF and Shin Bet expressed condolences to the family, saying they “will continue to act and do everything possible to bring all the hostages home.”
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 53 remaining hostages, around 30 are believed to be dead.
