When Hamas terrorists launched the worst attack Israel has ever seen, they took 251 hostages back to the Gaza Strip, some of whom were already dead. A year later, 64 people, including two children, are still hostages and Israel believes they are alive.
For the Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, the hostages are a crucial bargaining tool to negotiate a ceasefire with Israel and the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Here’s what we know about the people still held hostage in Gaza.
52 men, 10 women, two children
On 7 October 2023, 117 of the 251 hostages held by the terrorists have been freed, most of whom are women, children, and foreign workers.
Most of them were released during a week-long ceasefire in late November in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Nearly a year later, Israel believes 64 hostages taken in Gaza are still alive.
The army confirmed that 70 other people had been killed, of whom 33 bodies were still in Gaza.
The army has repatriated the bodies of 37 hostages who were either killed in Gaza or were killed on October 7 and taken to the region.
64 people are believed to be alive, 57 of whom are Israeli, although some of them have more than one nationality. The others are six Thai citizens and one Nepali.
These include 52 men and 10 women. Eleven are military personnel.
There are two children.
The youngest hostage, Kfir, was just eight and a half months old when he was kidnapped. The other is his brother Ariel, who was just four years old when he was taken to Gaza.
Hamas has said both children are dead, but Israel has not confirmed this.
no proof of life
Only seven other hostages have been freed alive since the ceasefire ended on December 1, all during Israeli military operations.
With no evidence of life found, there remains uncertainty over whether these 64 people are still alive.
Hamas’ armed wing said on August 12 that its fighters had shot dead an Israeli hostage and wounded two others.
Hamas has on several occasions announced the deaths of hostages, which have not been confirmed by Israel, leaving families in agonizing uncertainty.
The bodies were taken to Gaza
On 7 October Hamas militants took many of their dead bodies with them to Gaza, including the bodies of 10 Israeli soldiers.
At least 28 other hostages have died in the region since the war began.
Three people were mistakenly killed by the Israeli army on 15 December 2023. They were Yotam Haim, 28, Samir al-Talalakha and Alon Shamriz, 26.
The Israeli military has accused Hamas of executing six other people in August: Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarousi and Ori Danino.
He was found dead by soldiers in a tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza.
Festival, Kibbutz survivors
Most of the hostages were taken during attacks on the Nir Oz kibbutz and the Nova music festival.
Of at least 76 people taken hostage on October 7 at the Nir Oz kibbutz, 40 survived. Another 20 are still in Gaza and are believed to be alive. The remaining 16 are dead.
Only 17 people kidnapped from the festival are believed to be alive and are still being held hostage in Gaza.
Of at least 43 hostages taken aboard the Nova, only nine have been released, while 17 others are presumed dead.
entire family
The entire family was evacuated to Gaza on October 7. For them, the ceasefire of November 2023 brought relief, but also the pain of leaving loved ones behind.
French-Israeli children Eitan, Erez and Sahar were freed, but their fathers, Ohad Yahalomi and Ofer Calderon, remain in custody.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)