Idan Shtivi's Tragic Journey: From Nova to Gaza and Back Home at Last
The Israel Defense Forces recovered the body of 28-year-old Idan Shtivi, a hostage taken by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. Shtivi, hailed as a hero for helping others escape, was killed during the assault.
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In the chaos of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, 28-year-old Idan Shtivi embodied quiet heroism. Attending the Nova music festival near Re’im, a gathering meant for celebration, he instead became one of the 251 hostages seized that day. Nearly two years later, his body has been recovered from Gaza and returned to Israel, closing a painful chapter for his family but leaving a void in the hearts of those who knew him as a kind, adventurous young man.
Shtivi, a resident of central Israel, was at the festival when Hamas terrorists stormed the site, killing over 360 people in one of the deadliest massacres in Israeli history. Amid the gunfire and panic, Shtivi stepped up to help strangers escape. He drove people north from the danger zone, navigating under heavy fire. His vehicle was attacked by terrorists, and days later, the bodies of two friends he tried to rescue were discovered. Shtivi himself vanished, initially listed as missing.
For months, his fate remained unknown. In January 2024, the IDF confirmed he had been abducted and taken into Gaza. The confirmation brought a mix of hope and dread to his family, who joined the nationwide campaign to bring the hostages home. On October 7, 2024, exactly one year after the attack, the IDF determined Shtivi had been killed during the initial assault, with his body held by Hamas as a bargaining chip.
The recovery of Shtivi’s remains came through a complex IDF operation in Gaza, executed by Southern Command forces, Military Intelligence, and special units. Precise intelligence from the IDF’s Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate, Shin Bet, and Military Intelligence enabled the mission. Identification was completed at Israel’s National Institute of Forensic Medicine, with support from the Israel Police Forensic Division and the Military Rabbinate.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the recovery, stating, “In a special operation by the IDF and Shin Bet in Gaza, we brought Idan Shtivi’s body home. Following identification at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, his return was cleared for publication tonight.” Shtivi is the second abducted victim whose body has been retrieved, following Ilan Weiss, whose death was confirmed earlier.
48 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive based on Israeli estimates. As Israel continues its efforts to resolve the fate of the remaining captives, Idan recovery offers a bittersweet closure, honoring a life defined by courage in the face of unimaginable terror.