Thousands gathered on Sunday in Hebron for the funeral of Elyakim Libman, 23, an Israeli who was thought to have been taken captive by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, but was declared dead last week after his body was found in the grave of another massacre victim.

Libman was working as a security guard at the Supernova Music Festival on October 7, when Hamas terrorists launched an assault at the party, murdering hundreds of partygoers and kidnapping many others. Libman was murdered as he stayed behind and tried to save others at the party.

On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces announced his death after his body was found accidentally buried in the grave of another victim of the rave massacre. His funeral was held at the Old Jewish cemetery in Hebron.

In her eulogy, Libman’s mother Avishag said her son was a “sweet, smiling, and smart boy” and was remembered for his good deeds by the “thousands” who attended the funeral.

“We wanted you to get married at the Cave of the Patriarchs and in the end, we are burying you next to it,” Avishag lamented.

Libman’s brother, Elkana, said in his eulogy that he believed Elyakim was “hiding some place and in another second would return,” and that the family believed there was no way he would have allowed himself to be kidnapped. He added that he imagined his brother killing his captives while being held by them.

He said he wanted revenge for his brother’s death, not to cause more killing, but “for peace.”

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said in his own comments at the funeral that “whoever shows mercy to cruel people will end up being cruel to the merciful,” railing against the government’s approval of humanitarian aid to Gaza, noting that Hamas on Sunday shelled the Kerem Shalom border crossing, the very place where trucks enter the Strip.

“I pray that Elyakim will give us the strength to enter Rafah and take care of the source, the strength to wage war in Lebanon, and also the strength not to be silent in Iran when they attack us — only by strength, with God’s help, will we win,” he said.

Elyakim’s father is Eliyahu Libman, council chairman of the town of Kiryat Arba in the West Bank.

According to the family, Libman is known to have stayed behind for hours treating other wounded people until he himself was killed. Another security guard who survived recounted to them that Libman and his friend Eitan Mor stopped to help an injured woman. The other guard, Moshe, begged them to save themselves, but they didn’t want to leave her. That was the last Moshe saw of Elyakim and Eitan.

Eitan Mor is still believed to be held hostage in Gaza.

Some victims of the Hamas massacres had their bodies burned or otherwise mutilated beyond recognition, making identification difficult. In December, authorities found that the remains of another victim, Shani Gabay, had been mistakenly buried with those of another woman.

The declaration of Libman’s death was based on “findings that were identified following a complex investigation” carried out by the military, police, Institute of Forensic Medicine, and Health Ministry, the military said Friday.

Emanuel Fabian and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.