Who was Gaza hostage Sahar Baruch, killed during failed IDF rescue mission?
Baruch, a talented chess player and anime fan, lived on Kibbutz Be’eri and had just returned from his big trip to South America before the October 7 massacre.
The remains of slain hostage Sahar Baruch were identified through forensic tests, after he returned to Israel from Gaza for a proper burial after more than two years of captivity in Gaza.
Sahar was 24 years old when he was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7, 2023 massacre. In the months following his capture, Baruch was held in horrific conditions in Hamas captivity until he was killed in December 2023 during what the IDF called a failed rescue attempt.
Baruch was living on Kibbutz Be’eri and had just returned from his major trip to South America when he was killed. According to the Coming Home Soon initiative, an organization that aims to shed light on the stories behind the hostages, Baruch planned to begin studying electrical and computer engineering at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
He was described as a great chess player who loved animated films. His sense of humor and intelligence were his defining characteristics, as his family could always count on him to cheer them up.
On October 7, Baruch was at his mother’s house with his brother Idan when they were attacked. Before the brothers could reach the safe, terrorists threw grenades into the house, seriously injuring Idan with shrapnel. They eventually managed to reach the safe, but were unable to lock it, so they used a cabinet to block the door.
IDF soldiers salute the bodies of hostages Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)
As Baruch tried to treat Ilan’s wound, terrorists started a fire in the house, forcing the brothers to escape through a window. Ilan jumped first while Baruch stayed behind, searching for his brother’s inhaler.
The two men then separated and terrorists captured and murdered Ilan while Baruch was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.
IDF fails to confirm cause of Baruch’s death as rescue efforts fail
Baruch was held captive by Hamas for approximately three months before being killed in a botched IDF operation. His death was announced on December 9, 2023 as having occurred while he was in Hamas custody.
The Israeli military neither confirmed nor denied whether he was killed by it or during the rescue attempt itself. Sahar is survived by his parents, Tammi and Roni Baruch, as well as his brothers Guy and Niv.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
