Liberty mourns tragic loss of Israeli hostage Alon Shamriz and prays for release of hostages

Liberty University mourns the loss of 26-year-old Alon Shamriz, who was tragically killed on Friday, Dec. 15, in Shejaiya, Gaza, along with two other hostages, Yotam Haim, and Samir Talalka, when Israel Defense Forces mistakenly identified the three men as a threat during a ground operation in an active combat zone.

Liberty University hosted Yonatan and Ido Shamriz, Alon Shamriz’s brothers, for a special Convocation on Wednesday, Nov. 8, to share their personal experience of the atrocities their family and friends suffered at the hands of Hamas and to raise universal awareness for the conflict in Israel. Liberty University President Dondi Costin closed the Convocation by leading the Liberty student body in praying for the Shamriz family and Alon, who was taken captive.

“Words are inadequate to comfort these grieving families whose hearts have been broken by this unimaginable tragedy. We love the Shamriz family and plead for God to comfort them as they mourn the loss of their brother Alon,” said Costin. “I ask the Liberty University community to do what Champions for Christ always do in times like these by praying for this dear family and all who have suffered loss stemming from the unspeakable events of Oct. 7.”

All three men had been missing since Oct. 7 when they were kidnapped and taken hostage during the Hamas terrorist organization’s attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and took captive more than 240 hostages, the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson confirmed on Saturday the identity of all three men, including Alon Shamriz; however, the IDF was still uncertain if the three men were intentionally released by Hamas or had fled on their own.

Though over 100 hostages have been released since the Oct. 7 attack, there are still dozens of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas, including nine American hostages.