Hamas reportedly tortured and killed 68-year-old Israeli hostage Itzik Elgarat because they thought an eagle tattoo on his arm meant he was a pilot, hoping to extract intelligence, his brother told lawmakers this week. Israeli officials informed Elgarat’s family on Sunday that Hamas had interrogated Itzik after capturing him during their brutal Oct. 7, 2023 attack, where they stormed the Nir Oz kibbutz, killing 1,200 and taking 250 hostages.

“They took him for interrogation and he never came back,” Itzik’s brother, Dani Elgarat, told Israel’s Knesset House Committee. According to Dani, Hamas later told other hostages, “He has gone.” Itzik reportedly suffered a heart attack under torture.

Itzik was initially held with Edan Alexander, a U.S.-Israeli IDF soldier Hamas later released, but Hamas separated Itzik during questioning, believing he was a pilot. Hamas returned Itzik’s remains during a brief February ceasefire.

The revelation comes as frustration builds in Israel over the Netanyahu government’s handling of hostage negotiations and security. Families of hostages have criticized what they see as a sluggish diplomatic process that has yet to bring all hostages home.

“First of all, [we need] to free the hostages,” Netanyahu said Sunday, while also vowing to defeat Hamas. President Trump echoed calls for a deal, saying Netanyahu was “right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back.”

Dani Elgarat has publicly blamed Netanyahu for his brother’s death, claiming the prime minister’s policies empowered Hamas. During Itzik’s funeral, security removed Dani after he accused Netanyahu of funding Hamas, sparking tension during the ceremony.

The horrifying details of Itzik’s death are another reminder of Hamas’s brutality and the ongoing stakes as Israel’s leaders weigh hostage recovery with the war’s broader goals. Meanwhile, Hamas’s actions continue to demonstrate its disregard for human life as it uses innocent civilians as pawns in its war against Israel.

As Israel faces mounting pressure to secure the return of its people, this tragic story underscores the urgency—and the human cost—of getting the hostages home.