Haifa resident Inbar Hayman was killed, then taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, during the Nova festival massacre, according to the IDF.
Her body was held in the enclave for over two years.
Hayman was 27 years old when she was killed. Her death was confirmed to her family by Israeli authorities in December 2023. She is survived by her parents and one brother.
Following the release of almost all the female hostages held by Hamas during the November 2023 releases, Hayman was the only woman left in Hamas captivity for most of the war’s duration.
Upon her return from captivity, the military said that it could now reveal that Hayman had served as a commander in the IDF’s mixed-gender Caracal Battalion.
'Joy mingled with profound sadness'
“Our beloved Inbar has come home, to her parents, to her brother, and to us,” her family said in a statement shared through the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
“This is a feeling that cannot be described, joy mingled with profound sadness. Now, Inbar will receive the rest and honor she so profoundly deserves,” her family said.
“We are sure that if Inbar were here with us today, she would have urged us to continue fighting for all 19 of her fellow hostages who remain in captivity,” they continued.
“Our Inbar, the salt of the earth, served as a commander in the Caracal Battalion for three years. We salute you and invite the entire public to join us in honoring you – a hero of Israel,” the forum relayed.