Hostages in Gaza

Report:

Israel to threaten to annex land from Gaza if hostages harmed

Israeli media reports Israel to adopt new policy against Hamas based on assumption the threat of the loss of land is considered a more serious threat in Gaza.

My brother is still in hell:

'We don't have time... they don't have time'

Released hostages call on PM, mediators and international community to exert maximum pressure on Hamas and all parties to resume talks and secure immediate release of every hostage.

Gallant calls return to fighting in Gaza the 'right move'

Former Defense Minister says only military pressure on Hamas will create the conditions to return the remaining hostages.

Hostages Families Forum:

'Too late for us. But for other hostages, it is not too late.'

Families of deceased hostages: "Unfortunately, it was too late for us. But for other hostages—it is not too late. Their lives can still be saved."

'Just Like Hamas':

Hostages' families denounce Smotrich

Families of hostages confronted the Minister of Finance at a tribute event for security forces. He was unfazed.

Eliya Cohen:

The epileptic seizure that changed my life - & led to my release

Eliya Cohen, kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 massacre and released in exchange for convicted terrorists, tells of an a epileptic seizure three years ago that changed his life.

Hostage's mother:

'They have a sadist guard, he's in serious condition'

Galia David, mother of hostage Evyatar David, tells of her meeting with released hostage Tal Shoham, who was held together with Evyatar and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. 'I saw how serious his condition is, it shook me, I can't sleep. I can't get the pictures out of my head.'

The blood is on their hands

How can people be this blind, this stupid, this heartless, this culturally suicidal? Opinion.

Eli Sharabi to share captivity story at UN Security Council

Recently release hostage Eli Sharabi to address the United Nations Security Council later this week, recount the harrowing details of his months in captivity under Hamas.

I was a PFLP hostage in Jordan

And I learned that misplaced compassion leads to generation after generation of cruelty toward us. Opinion.

Israeli media star celebrates with released hostages

Media personality Natali Dadon held a Purim party with released hostages and their families.

Purim in Jerusalem:

Captivity survivor Karina Ariev leads parade

The procession was led by survivor of Hamas captivity Karina Ariev, Dani Elgarat, whose brother Itzik was murdered in captivity, Yoav and Sharon Engel, whose son Ofir Engel returned from Hamas captivity, and Shlomi Hajaj, the uncle of hostage Rom Braslavski.

BBC accused of 'puff piece propaganda' for Hamas hostage holders

Critics slam BBC Arabic report claiming Hamas 'shadow unit' in charge of holding Israeli hostages captive treated the hostages well. 'The rot of anti-Jewish hate that festers within BBC Arabic must be rooted out.'

Freed hostage Eliya Cohen visits family of fallen soldier

Hamas captivity survivor Eliya Cohen came with his mother Siggi to the home of the Kauders family in Tzur Hadassah to thank them for the part played by their husband and father, First Sergeant Refael Kauders, for the role he played in Eliya's release.

Netanyahu to negotiating team:

Prepare for talks to release 11 hostages

Following high-level meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructs negotiating team to prepare to continue talks for hostages' release.

Watch:

Romi Gonen and Emily Damari honored at Bloomfield Stadium

Emily Damari and Romi Gonen, fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Haifa, were the honored guests at the match between the two teams this evening.

"You will not execute me like ISIS"

Captivity survivor Tal Shoham: I refused to kneel

Released hostage Tal Shoham tells of severe physical abuse during his time in captivity, but says he vowed to never lose his humanity. 'I am not a victim.'

Freed hostage: 'I sat on the mattress and prayed to G-d'

Captivity survivor Omer Shem Tov in first message to attendees at Hostages Square rally: 'I was alone 450 days, it's a terrible feeling. I came back thanks to you, but the task is not yet complete.'

UN official:

‘Not a shred of evidence’ hostages held in UN facilities

UN humanitarian aid official Tom Fletcher dismisses freed hostage Emily Damari's account that she was held in an UNRWA facility: Hamas may have used the facility but the UN had no control over it at the time.

Shabbat vigil in Tel Aviv

Hostage families call for their immediate release

Families of hostages and hundreds of people hold Shabbat dinner at the Begin Gate of the Kirya. Sister of Matan Angrest: He's alive, but in ten minutes he might no longer be with us.

‘Sick and disgusting’

Rubio blasts Hamas, demands release of all hostages

US Secretary of State blasts Hamas and demands the release of all hostages: What Hamas has done is outrageous and we shouldn't accept it as normal. We're dealing with savages. These are bad people, terrible people, and we need to treat them as such.

Witkoff warns:

'Hamas is making a very poor gamble, time is not on its side'

Trump's envoy to the Middle East says Hamas is making "unrealistic" demands in hostage deal: Hamas is well aware of the deadline and must understand that we will respond accordingly if it passes.

PMO:

'Hamas offer to release 5 hostages just psychological warfare'

Prime Minister's Office accuses Hamas of continuing its refusal of the outline and is not making progress in talks despite claim it will release the 5 American hostages.

Hamas says it agreed to release all American hostages

Hamas terrorist organization says it will release Edan Alexander and the bodies of the four other remaining American citizens held hostage in Gaza.

Omer Shem Tov:

In the tunnels, I felt every prayer you said for me

Hamas captivity survivor Omer Shem Tov attends rally in Herzliya alongside friends and released hostages Maya and Itay Regev. 'Even when I was in the darkest place, I felt a spark of light.'

50-day ceasefire

Steve Witkoff's new proposal for a ceasefire deal

US envoy Steve Witkoff proposes Israel resume humanitarian aid to Hamas, release terrorists, in exchange for the release of several hostages.

Ramallah resident arrested for hacking freed hostage's file

Employee of branch of Jerusalem medical institution claims he hacked the medical file of a hostage who was recently returned to Israel out of 'curiosity.'

Jewish families honor Ariel and Kfir Bibas with Batman costumes

Children in Israel and beyond are dressing as Batman for Purim to honor the slain Bibas brothers.

Report:

Adam Boehler removed from Gaza hostage negotiatons

Sources in the Republican Party say that President Trump's envoy for hostages was removed from handling the issue of the hostages in Gaza after saying that Hamas were 'nice guys'.

'Thank God, I'm here:'

Released hostage's song of praise for being freed

Singers David D'or and Guy Feld hosted released hostage Ohad Ben-Ami to talk about the power of faith that helped him survive in a new and moving song.

Father of Hostage:

Return to fighting in Gaza without endangering soldiers

Tzvika Mor, father of hostage Eitan, tells Arutz Sheva about the sign of life he received from his son and calls for resuming the war.

'Together we'll reverse the lot'

Agam Berger's call ahead of Purim

Captivity survivor Agam Berger calls on the public to attend a Megillah reading at Hostages Square. "Together, we will reverse the lot and bring back our 59 brothers and sisters."

Family of hostage Avinatan Or receives first sign of life

Hostages who returned said that Or his being held in harsh conditions in one of the "refugee" camps in central Gaza.

Eliya Cohen gives thanks:

'Your prayers were felt in the tunnels, they protected me'

Grandfather of former hostage Eliya Cohen holds thanksgiving meal honoring his release from Hamas captivity. 'Down there, we feel every prayer.'

Freed hostage Omer Wenkert:

'I wasn't humiliated, I defeated captivity'

After 505 days in Hamas captivity, spoke for the first time about the massacre on October 7 and the day he returned from captivity.

Chabad 'Campus for Bibas' initiative launched

Chabad on Campus International initiative calls on Jewish students to put on tefillin in honor of the Bibas children who will never grow up to do so themselves and to light Shabbat candles in honor of Shiri Bibas.

Eli Sharabi told hostage's father:

Alon said that he wants to make Kiddush when he returns

Kobi, the father of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel, spoke about the message his son sent through released hostage Eli Sharabi

Brother of hostage:

'Just one MK came to comfort my family'

During a discussion in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Danny Elgarat revealed that only a single MK from the coalition offered condolences after his brother's body was returned.

Marco Rubio:

Direct talks with Hamas were 'one-off situation'

US Secretary of State says the talks between hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Hamas have not "borne fruit," will not be repeated.

Trump envoy Witkoff:

'We need deadlines for the release of the hostages'

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff tells Fox News the conditions the hostages have been kept in are 'deplorable' and deadlines are needed for the release of the remaining hostages.

Pita with yellow ribbon:

Hostage families' Purim gifts to MKs

Hostage families give Knesset members a pita wrapped in a yellow ribbon with a message from a released hostage. Hostage Nimrod Cohen's family confronted Minister Chikli.

After backlash

Trump's envoy clarifies: Hamas are by definition bad people

Trump’s envoy for hostages, Adam Boehler, issues clarification after coming under fire for justifying his secret talks with Hamas leaders: Hamas is a terrorist organization that has murdered thousands of innocent people. They are BY DEFINITION BAD people.

Agam Berger celebrates release with prayers and Challah ceremony

Released hostage Agam Berger held a special thanksgiving ceremony at a Tel Aviv synagogue this weekend, including the ceremonial taking of Challah and a prayer for the remaining hostages.

Defense establishment admits:

We did not properly estimate where the hostages were

After questioning several hostages who returned from captivity, the defense establishment understood that it did not properly estimate the locations where some hostages were being held.

For the first time:

Emily Damari and Romi Gonen visit Hostages Square

The two survivors of Hamas captivity left their hospital beds in the rehabilitation department and traveled to the square in Tel Aviv. 'One square with so much strength, emotion, hope, and prayers.'

Adam Boehler:

'Hamas interested in disarming, not threatening Israel'

Special envoy for the hostage negotiations Adam Boehler claimed that Hamas is interested in ending the conflict in favor of a US-supervised truce.

Released hostage shares a miracle from his time in Gaza

Omer Shem-Tov gives the miraculous story of how he said the Shabbat Kiddush for five months from a seemingly endless bottle of grape juice.

Report:

US demands Hamas release all captive US citizens unconditionally

PA media reports Trump Admin. withdrew from understanding that 250 terrorists would be released in exchange for the 5 remaining American hostages, demanding they be released unconditionally.

Hamas:

'The next released prisoners will free Jerusalem'

Zaher Jabareen, head of Hamas in Judea and Samaria, stated that 'We will not rest until the last prisoner goes home with his head high.'

Report: Hamas agrees to extend first stage of ceasefire deal

Al Hadath reports Hamas agreed to US initiative to extend first stage of ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of several living hostages; Hamas denies report.

Netanyahu's office:

Israeli delegation to leave for negotiations in Qatar

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirms Israeli delegation to leave for Qatar on Monday to negotiate advance negotiations to free hostages.

US advancing:

Initiative to release hostages - without Israel's involvement

US holding negotiations with Hamas to extend ceasefire in exchange for release of some hostages. Israeli source: 'Negotiations are being held above our heads.'

Mother of hostage:

'It's like I had a new daughter'

Shira Albag, mother of released hostage Liri, shares her experiences reconnecting with her daughter.

In Arabic:

Captivity survivor's message to hostages still in Gaza

Released hostage Karina Ariev sends Arabic-language message to hostages still held captive by Hamas, quoting from Isaiah.

Eliya Cohen to bereaved families: We are here because of you

Eliya Cohen, freed from Hamas captivity, thanks bereaved families for their sacrifice, says hostages were released because of them.

Trump Shocked:

'Wasn't anyone there kind? The hostages said no'

President Trump expressed his shock at the treatment of the hostages during an Oval Office press conference.

Progress on talks for deal's second stage? Israel denies it

Hamas claims progress on negotiations for second stage of deal, Israeli source clarifies: 'Not familiar with progress on talks at this stage.'

New York Times:

41 hostages died in captivity so far

A report reveals that 41 out of the hostages taken by Hamas died in captivity, some executed by Hamas, some mistakenly killed by Israel, and others whose cause of death is unclear.

Report:

Israel expressed outrage over secret US-Hamas talks

Axios reports that Israel’s deep concerns over secret negotiations between the Trump administration and Hamas resulted in heated exchange between Minister Ron Dermer and US envoy for hostages Adam Boehler.

Freed hostages urge Netanyahu:

'Bring the remaining hostages home now'

More than 50 hostages who were freed from Hamas captivity write letter to Netanyahu, call for the continuation of the deal with Hamas and the release of the 59 hostages who still remain in Gaza.