Hanan Yablonka's Sister Reveals He Was Executed in Gaza Hospital After Kidnapping

Nearly three years after the October 7 massacre, Avivit Yablonka Abadi, sister of the late Hanan Yablonka, has publicly recounted the harrowing ordeal her brother endured from the moment he was kidnapped until his body was returned to Israel. According to Avivit, Hanan was wounded by gunfire from militants after leaving a vehicle to check on a flipped car near a party. He was then taken to a hospital in Gaza, where, as he was dying, doctors executed him by shooting him three times in the head.

Hanan’s body was concealed inside a Hamas tunnel wall in the Jabalia area of Gaza. It was only discovered by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during a special operation in northern Gaza on May 24, 2024, alongside the bodies of Michelle Nissenbaum and Orion Hernandez. Avivit described the discovery as a miracle, noting the militants had hidden the bodies within tunnel walls, which could have been destroyed without being found. The condition of Hanan’s remains was so severe that identification was possible only through dental records.

For weeks after the attack, Hanan was listed as missing, with the family only learning after about 12 weeks that he had been kidnapped to Gaza. It took several more months before they were informed of his murder. Avivit expressed her ongoing disbelief and grief, calling Hanan her younger brother and best friend, and shared the emotional contrast of smiling when thinking of him but immediately breaking into tears.

This testimony sheds light on the brutal circumstances of Hanan Yablonka’s death and the prolonged uncertainty faced by his family. The IDF’s recovery of his body and others in May 2024 marked a significant moment in bringing closure to some of the victims’ families from the October 7 events.