Israel says it has confirmed that a promoter of Polish-Jewish relations who was held captive by militant group Hamas has died.
The Israeli military said on Monday it had verified the death of Alex Danzig after receiving new intelligence which it combined with previous Hamas statements and other information.
The 75-year-old was abducted from his home in Nir Oz Kibbutz on October 7 during last year’s attack by the terrorist group.
The Israeli military said he had most likely been held with another prisoner, Yaghev Buchshtab, near the city of Khan Yunus on the border with the Gaza Strip.
The military said it had also managed to confirm Buchshtab’s death.
Both men were reported to have died several months ago.
In March, Hamas militants and Israeli media reported that Danzig had died during an Israeli bombing of the Palestinian enclave.
Until now Israel said it was unable to corroborate the reports. It now says it will investigate how both men died.
Born in Warsaw in 1948, Danzig moved to Israel in 1957, where he worked at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum designing training programs for Israeli youth trips to Poland and Holocaust education programs.
In a moving statement, Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan said: “Alex’s essence embodied, both in spirit and substance, his love for the land and thirst for knowledge.
“His vast library at his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz reflected his deep connection between his cherished Israeli and Jewish identity and his Polish birthplace.
“Alex successfully integrated these perspectives into his teaching of the events of World War II in general, and of the Holocaust in particular.
“The news of his tragic death strengthens our commitment to ensure that Alex’s legacy and the stories he passionately preserved are never forgotten.”
The 75-year-old was abducted from his home in Nir Oz Kibbutz on October 7 during last year’s attack by the terrorist group.
The Israeli military said he had most likely been held with another prisoner, Yaghev Buchshtab, near the city of Khan Yunus on the border with the Gaza Strip.
The military said it had also managed to confirm Buchshtab’s death.
Both men were reported to have died several months ago.
In March, Hamas militants and Israeli media reported that Danzig had died during an Israeli bombing of the Palestinian enclave.
Until now Israel said it was unable to corroborate the reports. It now says it will investigate how both men died.
Born in Warsaw in 1948, Danzig moved to Israel in 1957, where he worked at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum designing training programs for Israeli youth trips to Poland and Holocaust education programs.
In a moving statement, Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan said: “Alex’s essence embodied, both in spirit and substance, his love for the land and thirst for knowledge.
“His vast library at his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz reflected his deep connection between his cherished Israeli and Jewish identity and his Polish birthplace.
“Alex successfully integrated these perspectives into his teaching of the events of World War II in general, and of the Holocaust in particular.
“The news of his tragic death strengthens our commitment to ensure that Alex’s legacy and the stories he passionately preserved are never forgotten.”
Source: Gazeta Wyborcza/Times of Israel
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