Their fate remains uncertain, Hamas says the blasts killed around sixty people – Liberation

For more than a month, there has been concern over the fate of the hostages in the Gaza Strip, which was seized by Hamas on October 7. Cory “Immediate release of all hostages”, Their families marched from Tel Aviv on Tuesday, November 14, which will take them to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in Jerusalem on Saturday, November 18. The agony of hostages’ relatives is compounded by the persistence of numerous unknowns and unverifiable reports from Hamas, which continue to announce the deaths of prisoners in bombings.

More than a month after October 7, the exact number of people detained in the Gaza Strip remains unclear. After the attack, a total of 130 hostages were reported: about thirty in the hands of the Islamic Jihad armed group, and about a hundred prisoners of Hamas. During a visit to Moscow in late October, an official from the Islamic group said it had also taken civilians hostage on October 7.

No details were released by Israeli officials

On October 16, the Israeli military revised the number of hostages upwards, citing 199 captured during the attack. On the same day, Hamas said it was the initial number of hostages “between 200 and 250”, Including about 200 in his hands. In early November, the Israeli military noted “More than 240 people” Removed. On November 2, he announced that he had given the information 242 families of hostages From the captivity of their loved ones. This Thursday, November 16, in France Inter, a spokesman for the Israeli army spoke about the 239 hostages.

Israeli authorities have not released any details on the arrests. On the other hand, some media like dailies HaaretzAttempts were made to establish a list of persons believed to be detained. This census, is incomplete, not an official list. As of November 16, there were 201 (five of whom were released). The rest break down as follows: more than thirty minors, including many children, more than sixty women and one hundred men. One of the women, who was pregnant at the time of the abduction, reportedly gave birth to her child in captivity. According to a letter Sarah Netanyahu, the wife of the Israeli Prime Minister, addressed the US First Lady, Jill Biden.

Out of 201 mentioned in the list Haaretz, 191 were civilians and only ten were military. According to the Israeli newspaper, nearly 70 hostages came from the Nir Oz kibbutz. About thirty hostages came from Beeri. Fewer than forty people were reportedly abducted from the scene of the bombed techno festival. About twenty people were reportedly captured in the Kfar Aza kibbutz. The four reportedly came from the Bedouin village of Hura and were taken hostage at the Holit Kibbutz where they worked.

An uncertain list of potential hostages has gradually evolved as information has gathered. Untraceable since October 7, Lilach Kipnis, 60, and her husband Aviader, 65, of Peary, were considered hostage suspects until they were finally identified at the morgue on October 17 and 23. Instead, Israeli officials said in early November that Emily Hand, an 8-year-old girl from Biri who was presumed dead after the October 7 attack, may be alive and that Gaza was among those detained.

Only five releases

Only five hostages have been released to date. In a statement released on October 20, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the release of two American hostages, citing reasons Hamas had announced earlier. “Humanitarian Reasons”. They are Judith Tai Ranan, 59, and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Ranan, 17. On October 23, once again in relation to “Humanitarian causes and health issues”, Two Israeli women were released: Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85.

According to the Israeli military, a fifth person, soldier Ori Megidish, 18, was rescued during a ground raid inside Gaza on October 30. If the Israeli authorities argue with her “Kidnapped by Hamas Terrorist Organization on October 7” Hamas has denied the information, instead believing it was with civilians or an autonomous group in Gaza.

Hamas claimed more than sixty hostages were killed by Israeli strikes

Much of the uncertainty concerns the deaths of some of the detainees. Hamas continues to communicate the deaths of hostages each time as a result of Israeli bombardment of Gaza. In total, more than 60 hostages were killed, according to the Islamist group.

On October 9, two days after the first Israeli strikes, Hamas’ armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said they had done so. “caused the death of four prisoners”.

On October 13, the same regiments confirmed it “Thirteen prisoners including foreigners” Five were killed in different locations in Gaza targeted by Israeli warplanes.

On October 14, the same source reported Death of nine hostagesFour were killed, including foreigners “Strike in Prisoners’ Places”.

On October 26, Hamas’ military wing announced the total “Zionist Hostages” you “Because of the Zionist bombings and massacres” I was going “Almost fifty”.

Hamas announced on October 31 that seven hostages, including “Holders of three foreign passports”, He was killed in an Israeli bombardment of the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

On November 4, the movement’s armed wing confirmed. 60 Israeli hostages Killed by IDF bombings since October 7.

On November 9, al-Qassam Brigades announced it Two Israeli soldiers The hostages were killed and wounded during Israeli airstrikes, respectively.

The Israeli military confirmed the death of a soldier on Tuesday, November 14, the day after Hamas released a photo of the soldier, identified as 19-year-old Noah Marciano. “Killed by Bombing” Israeli. Another hostage’s death was confirmed in late October. It’s Shani Louk. The 23-year-old German-Israeli woman was abducted by Hamas while performing at a music festival targeted by the Islamist movement and is believed to be being held captive. On October 30, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced his death.

For the rest, it was impossible to confirm the hostages’ deaths or their identities. “Until today, no one has met the hostages.”, the Red Cross also said that on Tuesday, November 14, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen would travel to Geneva. And confirm: “We have no means of living.”

A rare proof of life

The proof of life – at least in public – is only a few rare videos. In mid-October, Hamas released the first images of a hostage, a young Hebrew-speaking woman later identified as Mia Shem, a Franco-Israeli citizen kidnapped while participating in the “Tribe of Nova” music festival.

On October 30, A video Three women were detained in the Gaza Strip by al-Qassam militias, whose names were later released by the Israeli government: Yelena Trubanob, Daniel Aloni and Rimon Kirsht. In this order, which may have been produced under the pressure of their captors, they called for an agreement guaranteeing the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for their release. It’s a request Hamas leaders have made for a month that they are willing to carry out a prisoner exchange.

For its part, Islamic Jihad released a video on November 9 of two hostages, a woman in her seventies and a teenager, it said it was holding in Gaza, and said it was willing to release them. “When security conditions on the ground are met for humanitarian reasons”. The hostages are 77-year-old Hanna Katzir and 13-year-old Yakil Yaakov, both from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

After airing these images, Human Rights Watch NGO issued a press release Condemns the use of hostages: “Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s practice of publicly broadcasting videos of Israeli hostages is a form of inhumane conduct, a war crime.”.

The NGO recalled that holding hostages was a serious violation of international law and condemned Hamas and Islamic Jihad. “Immediately and unconditionally release all citizens from their custody and allow those still detained to have private contact with their families.”

Hostages at center of negotiations

Benjamin Netanyahu has been excluded for a month, as he did at the same time he opened the way on November 6. “Minor Tactical Breakdowns”Everything “General ceasefire without liberation in Gaza” Hostages.

On Monday, November 13, a Hamas spokesman spoke of a deal to release 50 hostages in exchange for 200 children and 75 women held in Israeli prisons. Negotiations on the deal, which was facilitated by Qatar, have so far been unsuccessful. According to Hamas, Israel formally changed its conditions at the last minute, eventually demanding the release of a hundred people.

Dozens of hostages are said to be foreigners (including a significant number of Thai workers) or dual citizens. Hamas officials visiting Moscow in late October told the Russian press that they consider all of its bilateral hostages to be Israelis and will not release any of them until Israel agrees to a cease-fire. A Hamas official interviewed said Russia, France, the United States, Spain and several other countries have called for the release of their detained citizens.

On Wednesday, November 15, the UN The Security Council passed a resolution specifically calling for the immediate release of the hostages. A resolution that should not, lamented the Israeli representative to the United Nations, “No impact on terrorists”.