Israel-Hamas: Body of hostage captured during cycling trip recovered from Gaza

Tributes have been paid to "family man" Ron Benjamin, who was captured while on a cycling trip on October 7. Credit: X/@bringhomenow

The body of a hostage captured by Hamas militants while on a cycling trip has been recovered from Gaza, the Israeli military has said.

"Family man" Ron Benjamin, 53, was taken hostage during his weekly bike ride on October 7 from the Kibbutz Be’eri area.

Chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Mr Benjamin was found along with three other murdered hostages whose repatriation was announced on Friday.

IDF forces have found the bodies of Itzhak Gelerenter, Shani Louk and Amit Buskila. Credit: Israel Defence Forces via X

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum shared a tribute to Mr Benjamin on social media platform, X: "128 hostages have been waiting to be released and return to Israel for 225 long days and nights already.

"The Israeli government must focus on the only mission that matters - to dispatch negotiation teams this very evening and fight for their return home.

"Those alive should be returned for rehabilitation, and those murdered should be brought back for a dignified burial, as was made possible for Ron Benjamin this evening."

Pictures of hostages kidnapped during the October 7. Credit: AP

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum said Mr Benjamin was husband to Ayelet and father to Shay and Gil, and described him as "a family man who loved cycling."

"He used to go out for a ride every Saturday, just as he did on that fateful Saturday when he was taken hostage while on a cycling trip. Ron loved traveling in Israel and around the world, and he loved music."

The discovery of Mr Benjamin's body comes after troops in Gaza found the bodies of three Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7 attack, including German-Israeli Shani Louk.

A photo of 22-year-old Ms Louk's body in the back of a pickup truck was shown around the world and brought to light the scale of the proscribed terror group's attack.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) identified the other two bodies found as those of 28-year-old woman, Amit Buskila, and 56-year-old man, Itzhak Gelerenter.

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said all three were killed by Hamas at the Nova music festival - an outdoor dance party near the Gaza border - and their bodies taken into Gaza.

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