When Hamas led the Oct. 7, 2023, raids into Israel, killing about 1,200 folks, about 250 folks have been taken into Gaza as hostages, together with residents of Israel, the US, Britain, Mexico, Thailand and different international locations.
Among the many captives have been the our bodies of 37 folks killed within the assault, Israeli officers mentioned. Now, about 100 hostages, dwelling and lifeless, are nonetheless being held within the enclave, officers say.
The cease-fire deal introduced on Wednesday between Israel and Hamas would start with an preliminary part lasting six weeks, and contain the discharge of 33 hostages and a whole bunch of Palestinian prisoners. The deal nonetheless must be formally ratified by Israel’s cupboard.
Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at the hostage scenario in Gaza.
What number of hostages have already been launched?
Early within the struggle, Hamas launched 4 hostages — two Israeli-American women, Judith Raanan, then 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, then 17, and two Israeli women, Nurit Cooper, then 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, then 85, citing humanitarian causes. Greater than 100 hostages have been freed in November 2023 throughout a staggered truce between Israel and Hamas. In trade, about 240 Palestinians held in Israel have been launched.
What number of hostages have been rescued?
Eight hostages have been freed in Israeli army operations, together with one within the first month of the struggle, when the army rescued one soldier, Pvt. Ori Megidish, then 19, who had been kidnapped from her base.
In February 2024, a army operation within the southern Gazan metropolis of Rafah freed two hostages: Fernando Simon Marman, then 60, and Louis Har, then 70.
In June, the Israeli army freed 4 folks kidnapped from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023: Noa Argamani, then 26; Almog Meir Jan, then 22; Andrey Kozlov, then 27; and Shlomi Ziv, then 41. Ms. Argamani’s case received outsize attention after viral footage confirmed her being taken into Gaza on the again of a motorbike as she cried out in desperation.
About 100 Palestinians have been killed throughout the operation, in response to the Israeli authorities, however officers in Gaza put the death toll at more than 270, together with 64 youngsters. (Neither toll distinguished between civilians and combatants.)
In August, the Israeli army rescued Farhan al-Qadi, then 52, a member of Israel’s Bedouin Arab minority, in an operation that killed no less than 20 Gazans, native authorities mentioned.
What number of hostages have died?
Of the 250 hostages, about three dozen have been presumed lifeless early within the struggle, in response to the Israeli authorities.
A few of their our bodies have since been present in Gaza and repatriated, whereas different captives initially believed to be alive have been subsequently declared killed.
The discoveries have raised questions in regards to the extent to which intense Israeli army operations focusing on Hamas have additionally endangered the captives.
The Israeli army has killed a number of hostages in error. In December 2023, the army mentioned its troopers had mistakenly shot and killed three hostages who fled their captors in Gaza: Yotam Haim, 28, and Alon Shamriz, 26, who have been taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza; and Samer Talalka, 24, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Am whereas at work.
Final July, Israel’s army retrieved the bodies of 5 hostages — two troopers and three civilians, ages 20 to 56. They have been present in a tunnel shaft in southern Gaza.
Israeli officers mentioned the captives have been killed throughout the October 2023 assault and their our bodies taken as bargaining chips. The subsequent month, Israeli forces mentioned they’d recovered the bodies of six hostages in a Gaza tunnel.
In September, the Israeli army recovered the our bodies of one other six hostages, ages 23 to 40, who it mentioned had been killed in captivity. Amongst them was Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American whose dad and mom spoke on the Democratic Nationwide Conference in August.
In March, the family of Itay Chen — a 19-year-old American born in Israel who was serving within the Israeli army — mentioned it had discovered he was killed on Oct. 7, 2023.
In December, the household of Omer Neutra, 21, an Israeli-American serving within the Israeli army, mentioned it had discovered he, too, was killed that October. His dad and mom spoke on the Republican Nationwide Conference in July.
This month, the Israeli army said Youssef and Hamza Ziyadne have been lifeless. Youssef Ziyadne, 53, was taken hostage from a kibbutz with three of his youngsters, together with his 23-year-old son Hamza and two youngsters, Bilal and Aisha, who have been freed throughout the truce in November 2023. The household is a part of Israel’s Bedouin Arab minority.
What number of hostages are People?
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, in a speech on Tuesday, mentioned seven People have been nonetheless being held captive.
Edan Alexander and Sagui Dekel-Chen have been believed to be alive as of December, in response to the American Jewish Council.
A number of of the remaining 5 have been declared lifeless early within the struggle. Their our bodies stay in Gaza.
