Hostage Sahar Baruch Hostage died in failed IDF rescue

A hostage featured in a Hamas propaganda video was killed during a doomed rescue mission by Israeli forces, the military has now confirmed.

The Israeli Defense Forces initially denied Hamas’ claim that Sahar Baruch, 25, an electrical engineering student kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, had been killed in such an operation to free hostages.

But on Wednesday, it notified Baruch’s family that their son’s death came during a special forces mission on the night of Dec. 7, the Times of Israel reported.

“Our hearts are with the family of Sahar Baruch, who was brutally kidnapped by the terror organization Hamas, which keeps using psychological warfare and inhumane actions,” the IDF said in a statement, according to Haaretz.

“We view Hamas as responsible for the wellbeing of the hostages, and we expect them to continue to use psychological warfare against Israel and the world through distributing these videos and other means, in their attempt to achieve their murderous objectives,” it added.

The military said it was unable to determine the cause of death – and whether it was the result of friendly fire during a botched raid or murder by the terrorists.

Two soldiers were severely wounded during the rescue effort, according to the outlet.

Baruch’s death was initially announced on Dec. 9 in a joint statement issued by Kibbutz Be’eri and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. His body has not been returned.

He was abducted from the kibbutz, where he was his grandmother and soldier brother Idan on the day the terrorists launched their attack on the Jewish state.

 The IDF said it would “continue to accompany the Baruch family and the other families of the hostages as needed,” adding that it was “working in all ways, intelligence and operational, to return the hostages home.”

Officials believe that 129 hostages remain in Gaza — not all of them alive — after 105 civilians were released by Hamas during a cease-fire in late November.

Four hostages were released before that. One hostage, Ori Megidish, was rescued by the IDF. The bodies of eight hostages also have been recovered and three hostages were mistakenly killed by Israeli soldiers.

Kibbutz Be’eri and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in their statement:  “It is with great sadness and a broken heart that we announce the murder of Sahar Baruch who was kidnapped from his home by Hamas terrorists to Gaza, and was murdered there.

“His brother Idan was murdered by Hamas on October 7. We share in the unbearable grief of his parents, Tami and Roni, his brothers, Guy and Niv, his family and all his loved ones,” they wrote about the Ben-Gurion University student.

“We will demand the return of his body as part of any hostage return deal. We will not stop until everyone is at home,” the statement added.

Just before the Hamas attack, Baruch returned from a trip to South America and was looking forward to starting the school year, and was planning to look for a place to live in Be’er Sheva, a city in the Negev Desert.

In a last message to his mother, Baruch wrote: “Burning to death hurts more,” probably as an explanation as to why he and his brother left the safe room before escaping from flames, Haaretz reported.