The Israeli government voted on Wednesday (Nov 22) to back a deal to release some of roughly 240 Israeli hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza in exchange for a multi-day truce and the freeing of a greater number of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
Here is what we know about the hostages.
Who are the hostages?
Gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas took about 240 hostages and killed 1,200 people when they raided Israel on Oct 7, according to the Israeli government. The hostages were from communities, including collective farms, called kibbutzim and military bases in southern Israel as well as people attending an outdoor music festival.
In addition to Israeli citizens, more than half the hostages held foreign and dual citizenship from about 40 countries including the US, Thailand, Britain, France, Argentina, Germany, Chile, Spain and Portugal, Israel’s government has said.
According to Israeli media and the Israeli government, up to 40 hostages being held are children, including a 10-month-old baby and preschoolers.
Also among those taken were soldiers, elderly people and people with disabilities such as a 17-year-old girl who cannot walk or talk and uses a feeding tube.
What has happened to the hostages?
Hamas has to date released four captives: US citizens Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, 17, on Oct 20, citing “humanitarian reasons”, and Israeli women Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, on Oct 23.
Israeli forces freed one hostage, Ori Megidish, a soldier, in their ground invasion of Gaza on Oct 30.
Source: CNA
