Alexander Dancyg, 76, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, while Yagev Buchshtab, 35, was taken from Kibbutz Nirim.

The Israel Defense Forces on Monday confirmed the deaths of two Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity in Gaza.

Alexander Dancyg, 76, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, while Yagev Buchshtab, 35, was taken from Kibbutz Nirim. Both were captured during Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack.

The circumstances of their deaths are being investigated, the IDF said, adding that their bodies are being held by the terror group.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a volunteer group focused on bringing the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza back to Israel, released a statement expressing their condolences to the Dancyg and Buchstab families.

Buchstab was kidnapped along with his wife, Rimon Buchshtab-Kirscht, who was freed in November after 50 days in captivity.

“Yagev Buchshtab was a humble and unassuming man who loved life in Kibbutz Nirim. A sound technician by profession, Yagev had a deep passion for music. From a young age, he played guitar and flute, later expanding to other instruments, some of which he built himself.
Together with his wife Rimon, Yagev cared for five dogs and five cats, several of which they had rescued and rehabilitated,” the forum said.

“Alex Dancyg was a historian, educator, and farmer. Born to Holocaust survivors, he became one of the founders of educational delegations to Poland. Alex worked at Yad Vashem for about 30 years, where he trained thousands of guides in Holocaust education,” the forum wrote.

“Hostages who were held captive with him reported that Alex spent his time in captivity giving history lectures to fellow captives. Alex was an avid reader with a passion for history and enjoyed various sports. Yesterday would have been his 76th birthday.”

Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan paid tribute to Dancyg in a statement.

“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,” Dayan said.

“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.”

According to Israeli authorities, there are believed to be 120 hostages remaining in Gaza, some of whom are no longer alive.