hostages

IDF confirms:

Body of the hostage Ron Benjamin rescued from Gaza

IDF, ISA, recover body of hostage Ron Benjamin in joint operation.

Hostage's mother: An UNRWA social worker kidnapped my son

Watch: Ayelet Samerano, mother of 21-year-old Yonatan Samerano, whose body is being held by Hamas, speaks at UN Security Council: 'How can the UN pay this man's salary?'

American students need to see and hear from Israel

We need person-to-person interactions where people talk to actual Israelis and have their assumptions addressed with the truth. Opinion.

Qatar: Significant differences between Israel and Hamas

Israel has not been clear about how to end the war, causing negotiations to freeze, Qatari Pres. Al Thani claims.

Singer Miri Mesika sings 'Hatikva' with freed hostages

Before the anthem, Mesika dedicates one of her songs to the freed hostages and prays for the return of all 132 hostages who are still in captivity.

Psychological terrorism:

Hamas publishes video clip of hostage Nadav Popplewell

Nadav Popplewell, son of released hostage Channah Peri, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nirim on October 7.

Hamas:

'We'll re-examine our negotiation strategy'

Hamas blames Israel for collapse of talks on a ceasefire and a hostage release deal, says it will hold consultations with other factions and “re-examine” its negotiation strategy.

New York:

'Bring them home': Drone show urges return of hostages

Marking seven months since the October 7th attacks, rally attendees unite in call for hostages' release, followed by a monumental display of 500 drones illuminating the sky above the Statue of Liberty in New York.

Murder of Lior Rudaeff:

Newly-exposed video led to death announcement

Head of Shaare Zedek and member of committee to examine hostages' conditions reveals: Announcement regarding death of hostage Lior Rudaeff due to newly-discovered video.

Israeli official: Hamas proposal is unacceptable

New proposal includes demand for Israel to release re-arrested 'Shalit deal' terrorists; senior Israeli official tells Reuters that Hamas' counteroffer to the Egyptian proposal is unacceptable to Israel, and Israel will rethink its next steps.

After five months:

Freed hostage Elma Avraham released home from hospital

Elma Avraham, who was airlifted from Gaza to Soroka Medical Center and celebrated her 85th birthday in the hospital, is released home - five months after returning to Israel.

'Significant discrepancies'

These are the changes Hamas made in its new offer

The new hostage deal proposal would free Hamas of its commitment to release 33 living women, children, elderly, and ailing hostages, and allow dead hostages to be released in their place.

Israeli officials:

US knew about changes to ceasefire deal - but didn't brief Israel

'The feeling is that Israel got played' by the US and mediators during the latest round of negotiations, Israeli officials tell journalist Barak Ravid.

US officials: Hamas counteroffer has 'minor wording changes'

Changes to approved ceasefire-prisoner swap deal were made by Arab negotiators in consultation with CIA chief; first stage of hostage release would include less than 33 living hostages, report says.

Negotiations ongoing

Israeli source: If Hamas agrees to deal, Rafah evacuation ends

Evacuation of Rafah pressures Hamas to agree to proposed prisoner swap deal, Israel will end evacuation if Hamas caves, diplomatic source says.

PM's Office responds:

Hamas, not Netanyahu, torpedoed hostage deal talks

'Hamas torpedoed the deal, with its refusal to budge on conditions that no Israeli government would accept,' Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says, negating words of Hamas' Moussa Abu Marzouk and the Israeli official who backed him.

Hamas official claims: Netanyahu's statements caused deal to fail

Moussa Abu Marzouk, Hamas official who claimed civilians were 'exempt' from the Oct. 7 massacre, claims to NYT that the impasse in negotiations was caused by PM Netanyahu's promise to topple Hamas battalions in Rafah. Israeli official offers support to Abu Marzouk's claims.

CIA director travels to Qatar as hostage talks "near collapse"

Official says William Burns to meet with Qatari PM to exert "maximum pressure" on Israel and Hamas to continue talking.

Israeli sources:

If Hamas insists on remaining in power - there will be no deal

Israel may accept a deal that ends the war - if Hamas leaders agree to exile from Gaza, report says.

Report: Hamas agreed to Egyptian ceasefire proposal

Asharq Al-Awsat claims Israel removed opposition to releasing certain terrorists, US guaranteed full withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war.

Hostages' families:

'Stand up to the pressures or stand up and resign'

Families of the hostages wrote to the Prime Minister Saturday evening to demand that he resist international pressure for a ceasefire or vacate his position for someone who would.

Families of hostages:

'Every citizen needs to know: 'Never Again' is now'

On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, families of hostages push Israeli government to approve a prisoner swap deal with Hamas - no matter what the price.

Are Israel and Hamas nearing a deal?

Senior sources say Israeli delegation will set out 'only if there is a response from Hamas that shows there is potential for negotiations.'

Diplomatic source: 'A deal will mean the end of the war'

If the US promises in Israel's name that the war with Hamas will not resume following a ceasefire-prisoner swap deal, Israel will be forced into a clash with the US - or forced to lose the war, source warns.

Arab reports: Egypt extracted promise to delay Rafah operation

While Hamas' response to the Egyptian-proposed ceasefire-prisoner swap deal will almost certainly be negative, Israel has promised to delay an operation in Rafah, sources say.

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.'