hostages

Former US official: Hamas leader surrounded by Israeli hostages

Yahya Sinwar and his family may be surrounded by 20 hostages, former US Army official tells Sky News.

Report:

Prisoner swap agreement doesn't include IDF withdrawal from Gaza

Hamas source says terror group 'still examining proposal for a ceasefire; Blinken's words are an attempt to pressure Hamas.'

Hamas sources:

Egyptian proposal is the best presented so far

Arab reports detail compromises Israel agreed to make in deal which would see a ceasefire in exchange for hostages' release.

PM to bereaved families:

We will enter Rafah - with or without a deal

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu speaks to representatives of bereaved families, hostages' families, at the Heroism and Hope Forum, promises: 'We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there – with or without a deal.'

Report:

Hamas response to prisoner swap deal expected Wednesday evening

Hamas leadership in Gaza passes its response to Hamas leadership abroad; Israeli delegation won't take off for Cairo yet.

Bereaved father:

There are people who prefer to exploit our sorrow

Kobi, the father of dead hostage Yonatan Samerano, writes: 'Before you yell to release hundreds or thousands of terrorists, think about which of them you will meet in the next attack.'

Negotiations to free hostages:

Qatar promised to remove Hamas leaders - and didn't do it

Qatar should have announced that if Hamas did not progress towards prisoner swap deal, its leaders would be removed from Doha - but failed to keep its commitment, or to explain the decision to backtrack.

Israeli source to CNN:

'For every freed hostage - one day of ceasefire'

Hamas still examining Egyptian proposal for ceasefire, hostage swap deal, which would see 33 hostages released in exchange for a cessation of fighting in Gaza.

Min. Chikli: I'll oppose a deal, we can't stop the war

Diaspora Min. Amichai Chikli promises to oppose the proposed prisoner swap deal, which includes a complete cessation of the war against Hamas.

Report:

New hostage deal forces significant compromises on Israel's part

Journalist Barak Ravid reports that the new offer for a prisoner swap deal includes significant compromises from Israel, including expression of willingness to discuss ending the war in Gaza.

Hostage's wife following Hamas video: 'Keith, I love you'

'I love you, we will fight until you return,' released hostage Aviva Siegel promises husband Keith Siegel, who is still held hostage in Gaza.a

Psychological terrorism:

Hamas publishes video of two hostages

Hamas publishes video of Keith Siegel and Omri Miran, who were kidnapped from their homes on October 7.

'Israel will pay a heavy price' in new hostage deal proposal

Israeli negotiating team presents to Cabinet proposal in which Hamas would release 20 hostages and in exchange, Israel would permit residents to return to northern Gaza and other concessions.

Senior US official:

'Sinwar, Hamas to blame for lack of hostage deal'

Biden Administration official says 'it's really down to one guy to accept the deal' to free the hostages.

US, 17 other nations demand Hamas release all hostages

The US and 16 other countries whose citizens were kidnapped by Hamas issued a joint statement blaming Hamas for prolonging war by refusing to release its hostages.

Egypt to Israel:

Freeze Rafah operation - in exchange for renewing hostage talks

New report: Egypt proposes one-year ceasefire in exchange for cessation of attacks on Israel - as precondition for restarting hostage talks.

Biden meets 4-year-old freed hostage Abigail Idan

US President meets young US citizen who was kidnapped on October 7 and spent her fourth birthday in captivity in Gaza.

State Department:

FBI investigating veracity of Hamas hostage video

Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, Vedant Patel, says the Biden Administration 'will not rest a single minute until Hersh Goldberg-Polin is reunited with his family.

Hostages' families:

'Govt. must stop dawdling, start pressuring Hamas'

Tikva Forum reacts to Hamas video showing Hersh Goldberg-Polin, says 'there are many pressure levers for the return of the hostages that have not been used.'

After Hamas hostage video

Families: Hostages' time is running out, must be top priority

Family of Hersh Goldberg-Polin gives permission to share video Hamas published of their loved one who has been held hostage for over 200 days.

Hamas publishes sign of life from hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin

Hershe, who was wounded and kidnapped from the Nova music festival on October 7. appears in Hamas-released video. His mother Rachel was recently named to the 2024 TIME100.

Hamas official reveals: Military arm holding 30 IDF soldiers

Captive soldiers are 'in high-security locations, impossible to reach under any circumstances,' Hamas official tells media outlet.

Nova massacre survivor:

I feel guilty that my friends were abducted & I didn't save them

Marking 200 days since the war began, hostages' friends and relatives call for unity and action.

Hostage's father:

'We'll leave a seat for you in case you come home'

Zvika Mor, the father of Eitan Mor, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, writes about celebrating Passover with his son in captivity, never losing hope.

Report:

Israel fears less than 1/3 of hostages are still alive

Of the 133 people still held hostage by Hamas, Israel reportedly fears just 40 still live.

Sen. Fetterman:

'We must talk about the hostages until they come home'

Pennsylvania Senator vows to keep bringing up the issue of the hostages: If Hamas would send everybody home and surrender, all the death, destruction and misery in Gaza would end.

CIA Director:

'Hamas is to blame for stalled hostage deal talks'

CIA Director William Burns says Hamas was presented with “a far-reaching proposal” but has not accepted it.

Families of hostages block highway, attempt to start bonfire

Several dozen representatives of families of Israeli hostages and anti-government activists block Highway 1 at the Anava Interchange, right before Shabbat.

Pres. Herzog: This year, the seder night will be different

Israel's Pres. Herzog asks Israelis to leave an empty chair by their seder table, in support and recognition of the bereaved families and families of hostages.

Yossi Cohen:

We must not bring politics into the matter of the hostages

Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen attends event in support of hostages' families, calls on Israelis to unite: 'Terror groups did not choose hostages based on this opinion or that.'

Report:

Israeli, US, officials know locations of many hostages in Gaza

Far fewer hostages may be alive than is publicly known, US officials say.

Hamas official admits:

We don't know how many hostages are alive or dead

Negotiations haven't reached a dead end, Hamas won't compromise on ceasefire, Hamas' Moussa Abu Marzouk says.

Hamas now offering to release just 20 hostages

Senior official says after Hamas rejected the latest ceasefire proposals, it offered to release half the number of hostages while demanding Israel free murderers.

Report:

Hamas unsure of whether it has 40 live hostages for prisoner swap

Does Hamas have enough living hostages to make a deal with Israel? Maybe not.

Special Passover seder calls for hostages' release

'Let Our People Go': At a special Passover Seder event in Kibbutz Nir Oz, relatives urge unconditional release of hostages. 'For the families of the 133 hostages, there will not be a holiday without their loved ones.'

Freed hostage:

'I was kidnapped by civilians who sold me to Hamas'

Nurse recounts how she was kidnapped from her home by armed Gaza civilians and sold to Hamas terrorists before being taken to a tunnel with other hostages.

Hamas insisting on assurance that war will end

Hamas terror group unafraid and prepared for Israeli operation in Gaza, plans to reject hostage deal due to insistence on permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal of IDF from Gaza, Al Akhbar says.

Haredi MK:

Hostage deal? 'We're trying not to get into that'

MK Pindrus says his party is not part of the bodies charged with making decisions on a prisoner swap.

Freed hostage tells MKs:

'If I'm in poor health, what will happen to those still there?'

Raz Ben Ami, who was released in November after 54 days in Hamas captivity, tells Knesset committee of her continuing suffering after being freed, fear for her husband, who is still a hostage.

Activists demand: Close UNRWA offices in Jerusalem

Im Tirtzu activists, MK Boaz Bismuth, demonstrate living conditions of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, demand removal of UNRWA from Jerusalem.

Proposal:

Condition negotiations on US commitment to support Rafah op.

Diplomatic-Security Cabinet to discuss proposal which would condition progress in hostage deal negotiations on a US commitment to support Israel's operation in Rafah.

Watch:

Israeli racing driver pays tribute to hostages

After coming in third in USF Formula 4 Championship, Israeli racing driver Ariel Elkin shows his helmet, which was covered with photos of hostages held in Gaza.

Hamas claims:

'We know the location of less than 40 hostages'

Hamas breaches the understandings reached in Paris, claims it knows the location of less than 40 hostages who are alive.

Emerging outline:

6-week ceasefire, 40 hostages released

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman says he is "more optimistic" about the prospects for a ceasefire deal. The reported outline would see Hamas keep over 2/3 of the hostages it currently holds.

Gallant:

'We're prepared to make difficult decisions to get hostages back'

Defense Minister meets new soldiers, says 'we're at an opportune moment' to achieve a deal to free the hostages.

Hamas: No progress on talks for hostage deal

Hamas official claims 'no change' in Israel's position, insists there will be 'no flexibility' over terror group's 'main demands,' Reuters reports.

Released hostage tells CNN:

I learned my sister-in-law was abducted from Gaza TV

Yarden Roman-Gat, whose sister-in-law Carmel Gat is still hostage in Gaza, speaks with CNN about her own experiences and the family's worry for Carmel.

Ireland urges 'immediate and unconditional' release of hostages

Marking six months since Hamas' massacre of Israelis, Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv calls Hamas' actions 'reprehensible,' calls out terror group's sexual violence.

Reports in Egypt:

Progress made in hostage release talks

Egyptian official says Hamas and Qatar's delegations left Cairo and will return within two days to agree on the terms of the final agreement, while the Israeli and the US. delegations will leave within a few hours.

Emotional meeting between Sara Netanyahu and hostages' families

The Prime Minister's wife heard in a recording of the meeting saying to the families: "The messages that Sinwar hears in the Israeli media - strengthen him."

1st Africa visit since war:

Herzog visits Rwanda to call for release of hostages

President Isaac Herzog arrived in Kigali this morning for event marking 30 years since Rwanda, becoming the first Israeli leader to visit Africa since the outbreak of the war.

IDF spokesman: Hostage Elad Katzir was murdered in January

'High state of readiness' in northern Israel as IDF's Daniel Hagari promises Israel 'will not miss any opportunity to fulfill our supreme mission of bringing' remaining hostages back home.

Body of hostage Elad Katzir rescued from Gaza

The body of the abductee Elad Katzir, who was murdered in captivity by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, was rescued overnight from Khan Yunis.

IDF investigation reveals:

Hostage Efrat Katz was killed by IAF fire on 7/10

IDF presents summary of findings on IAF's conduct during the October 7 kidnapping of Efrat Katz from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

ANALYSIS:

Anti-PM protests threaten war effort, hostage deal, experts say

Anti-government demonstrations, which had been on a low flame since Oct. 7, burst forth with renewed ferocity this week. Analysis.

Hostage release talks

Report: CIA director to travel to Cairo this weekend

Axios reports that CIA director William Burns will travel to Cairo this weekend for talks with the chief of the Mossad and top Qatari and Egyptian officials in an effort to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Report:

US promised Egypt: No Rafah op before mid-May

Reports say Israel promised not to conduct Rafah ground operation before May, has changed its position on number, identities, of terrorists to be released in prisoner swap.

Mediators must act vigorously, push Hamas to prisoner swap

Israeli negotiating team formulated updated prisoner swap proposal, mediators must take 'vigorous action regarding Hamas' to bring a deal to fruition, Prime Minister's Office says.

Released hostage:

Every girl in Hamas captivity suffers harassment

Women released from Hamas captivity testify to harassment by terrorists - and not just towards them. 'Men also suffer horrific torture - don't forget them.'

Daughter of hostage:

'Tel Aviv protest does not represent hostages' families'

Yarden Pivko - the daughter of Itzik Galernter, who was abducted by Hamas, claimed: 'There is exploitation by parties unrelated to the abductees.'