Israel identifies deceased hostage returned by Hamas as Manny Godard

Jerusalem
 — 

The Israeli government identified the deceased hostage whose remains were handed over by Hamas on Thursday as Manny Godard, 73, an Israeli resident of a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip.

Godard and his wife Ayelet were killed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israeli communities near the Strip. His body was then taken to Gaza.

During the attack, Godard and his wife hid in the safe room of their home in Be’eri Kibbutz. They later fled after their house was set on fire, and the attackers “ambushed them outside,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement Thursday. After the father of four was killed, “Ayelet hid in the bushes for…