Upon her return from captivity, it was revealed that she served as a commander in the IDF’s mixed-gender Caracal Battalion.
Haifa resident Inbar Hayman was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, during the Nova festival massacre.
According to latest information shared by the IDF, Hayman was murdered by terrorists on October 7, with her body taken into the Gaza Strip, where it was held for over two years.
Inbar was 27 years old at the of her death, which was confirmed to her family by Israeli authorities in December 2023. She is survived by her parents and brother.
Following the release of almost all female hostages held by Hamas during the November 2023 releases, Inbar was the only woman left in Hamas captivity for most of the war’s duration.
Upon her return from captivity, it was revealed that she served as a commander in the IDF’s mixed-gender Caracal Battalion.
People celebrate at Hostages Square, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 9, 2025 (credit: FLASH90/CHAIM GOLDBERG)
‘Joy mingled with profound sadness’
“Our beloved Inbar has come home. To her parents, to her brother, 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 deeply deserves. We are certain that if Inbar were here with us today, she would urge us to continue fighting for all 19 of her fellow hostages who remain in captivity.
“Our Inbar, salt of the earth, served as a commander in the Caracal Battalion for three years. We salute you and ask the entire public to come and honor you. A hero of Israel.”
