Relatives fear for missing people: this is what is known about the Hamas hostages

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Hamas has killed more than 1,400 people in its attack on Israel. In the massacre, the militant terrorist organization captured more than 200 people in the border area with the Gaza Strip. Family members fear for the hostages – and wait for them to be released. This is what is known about her so far.

According to the Israeli army, at least 222 people have been kidnapped. The number has increased since October 7, the day of the attack, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Monday.

The hostages also include foreign citizens, including Germans, French and Americans. The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EDA) had no knowledge of hostages with Swiss nationality on Tuesday, as it explained in response to a question from Blick.

Meanwhile, Hamas has already released four prisoners. Two Americans and two Israelis are free again – partly thanks to mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the Red Cross.

The hostages were kidnapped from their homes. Hamas also took prisoners at military bases and at an open-air festival, the New York Times reports. Israeli authorities have not yet provided precise information about the identity of the hostages. What is known: Among them are civilians, soldiers, people with disabilities, children, seniors and even a nine-month-old baby.

Desperate relatives of suspected hostages have turned to the press and social media to search for clues through photos. Doris Liber (56) spoke to SonntagsBlick about her missing son Guy Iluz (26). When Hamas terrorists attacked a festival in Israel, she was still on the phone with Iluz. In the last conversation, the mother promised the son: “I will get you.”

Uri Raanan was happy about the safe return of his family members. His wife Judith and 17-year-old daughter Natalie are the Americans who were released on Friday. The family from Illinois was in Israel visiting relatives. According to Hamas, the two were released due to their mother’s health problems. The certainty that Natalie can spend her 18th birthday at home with her loved ones is wonderful, Raanan explains: “That’s the best news.”

On Monday, Israelis Nurit Cooper (79) and Yocheved Lifshitz (85) were released. According to Lifshitz’s grandson, the 85-year-old has a big heart – also for the Palestinians. He told Reuters that his grandparents have long been committed to helping the sick in the Gaza Strip: “They have been human rights and peace activists all their lives.”

Hamas released a video of the hostage transfer. Before Lifshitz gets into the Red Cross car, she is seen shaking hands with a Hamas man.

As Hamas explains on Telegram, the hostages are hidden in “safe places and tunnels.” It is believed that Hamas uses an underground network of tunnels, mostly under civilian infrastructure, to travel undetected and transport weapons.

Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes. These claims could not be independently verified.

Last week, Hamas released its first hostage video: The alleged hostage in the video is Mia Schem, 21, a dual French-Israeli citizen. She was kidnapped at a festival. In the video she says she is in Gaza. “I seriously injured my hand and had to have three hours of hand surgery in the hospital. They take care of me, give me medicine, everything is fine.” She asks for help: “Get me out of here as quickly as possible.”

In an interview with the newspaper ‘Bild’ on Monday, Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz, 68, explained that the rescue of hostages was one of the highest priorities: “We are working with every actor to free the kidnapped people.” Nevertheless, the offensive will continue: “Hamas wants us to deal with the kidnapped people and for our army not to intervene to destroy their infrastructure. That will not happen.”

Meanwhile, the US government is advising the Israeli military to wait before launching a ground offensive to complete further hostage negotiations, the New York Times writes. As the American newspaper reports, citing Israeli officials, negotiations are underway for the release of about 50 hostages.

Western governments also say there is some optimism that Hamas could release women and children given the international response.

However, the militant organization has so far expressed itself differently in public. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya (60) ruled out a prisoner exchange: “This file will only be opened after the end of the fighting.”

Source: Blick