On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, murdering over 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages into Gaza. These hostages—men, women, children, elderly, and foreign nationals—became pawns in a brutal conflict. While some have been freed through ceasefire agreements and rescue operations, dozens remain in captivity, facing torture, abuse, and inhumane conditions. This page documents their stories, the ongoing efforts to bring them home, and the tragic fate of those who did not survive.

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Hostage Releases: A Glimmer of Hope

In the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7 attack, the international community mobilized to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza. Through diplomatic efforts involving Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, two major ceasefire agreements have been negotiated, allowing for the phased release of captives.

The first exchange took place in late November 2023 during a brief truce, while a second occurred in January-February 2025 as part of a longer ceasefire. During these pauses in fighting, Hamas handed over hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the Gaza border, who then transported them to Israel for medical evaluation and reunion with their families.

By the Numbers

• By February 2025, 147 hostages had returned alive from Gaza
• The initial November 2023 truce resulted in the release of 105 civilian hostages, including 81 Israelis, 23 Thai nationals, and 1 Filipino
• Hamas unilaterally freed 4 captives (including two American women) in October 2023
• In January 2025, Hamas released 4 Israeli female soldiers in their early 20s
• Days later, 8 more hostages were freed—3 Israelis and 5 Thai men
• By late January 2025, approximately 30 additional hostages were released under the second-stage ceasefire

Those freed represented a wide range of ages and backgrounds—from 4-year-old Abigail Mor (the youngest American-Israeli citizen released, whose parents were killed in the attack) to elderly grandparents in their 70s and 80s who emerged from captivity in frail condition. Many children were released alongside their mothers, while the Thai hostages—agricultural workers who had been laboring in Israel—constituted the largest foreign group held captive.

Life in Captivity: Torture and Abuse

Reports from freed hostages and medical evaluations reveal the horrific conditions endured in Hamas captivity. According to a detailed Israeli Health Ministry report based on interviews with over 100 released hostages, captives were subjected to systematic torture, abuse, and neglect while in Gaza.

Many hostages, including children and teenagers, were found bound, beaten, or even branded with hot metal by their captors. Female hostages reported instances of sexual assault at gunpoint by Hamas militants. Male prisoners were frequently beaten, starved, and held in isolation for extended periods, often kept bound and denied access to toilets.

Medical neglect was common—hostages with pre-existing injuries or conditions were often denied treatment, and some became gravely ill in the dank, unsanitary hiding places where they were kept. Dr. Itai Pessach, an Israeli physician who treated several rescued hostages, told the press that “every hour” in Hamas captivity brought new physical and mental abuse, and prolonged malnutrition left many with wasted muscles and other health damage.

The psychological pressure on hostages was extreme. Survivors have described constant fear and unpredictable violence. Children in particular showed signs of severe trauma after release, with some having been forced to hide in dark tunnels for weeks. Even those who appeared outwardly okay were suffering from shock, dehydration, and weight loss.

While Hamas has denied mistreating the hostages, claiming they were cared for and that any who died were victims of Israeli airstrikes, the consistent accounts from dozens of hostages and medical professionals strongly indicate a pattern of systematic cruelty. International law experts have underscored that hostage-taking itself is a war crime, and the reported mistreatment—from torture to sexual violence—constitutes serious violations of international humanitarian law.

The Bibas Family Tragedy

One of the most heartbreaking cases is that of the Bibas family. Yarden and Shiri Bibas, along with their two young sons—9-month-old Kfir and 4-year-old Ariel—were abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Footage of Shiri clutching her babies while being taken captive circulated widely, making the family a symbol of the hostage crisis.

For weeks, their fate remained uncertain. Hamas eventually claimed in November 2023 that Shiri and the children had been killed by an Israeli airstrike. Israeli authorities and the family hoped this was propaganda or a mistake, as Hamas continued to hold Yarden (the father).

During ceasefire negotiations in early 2025, Hamas agreed to return the remains of Shiri and her two children, as well as another deceased hostage. On February 22, 2025, four small coffins were handed over via the Red Cross at the Rafah crossing. However, Israeli forensic examiners quickly discovered a disturbing error: one of the bodies was not Shiri Bibas at all. Hamas had mistakenly (or falsely) sent a different woman’s corpse in place of Shiri’s. Only the remains of baby Kfir, little Ariel, and a male hostage (Oded Lifshitz) were correctly identified.

This “misidentification” outraged Israel and threatened to derail the ceasefire agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of a cruel deception and warned that “Hamas will pay” for not returning Shiri’s body as promised.

Confronted with Israeli anger, Hamas officials apologized for an “unfortunate mistake,” claiming that intense Israeli bombing had “mixed the bodies” of hostages and others in Gaza rubble. They insisted it was not in their interest to withhold bodies and later provided another set of remains they said were Shiri’s.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military conducted its own investigation into the Bibas family’s deaths. Israeli intelligence and forensic analysis concluded that Hamas was directly responsible—evidence indicated the two Bibas children were deliberately killed by their captors and not killed by any airstrike. The IDF’s chief spokesman stated that the young boys were murdered “with their bare hands” by the militants, contradicting Hamas’s claims that an Israeli bombing was to blame.

Tragically, while Shiri and her children were killed, Yarden Bibas survived and was freed in late January 2025, after enduring months of captivity knowing his family had been murdered.

Global Response: A United Call for Freedom

The international reaction to the hostage crisis has been one of widespread condemnation of Hamas and support for the hostages’ release. Governments worldwide, especially those with citizens among the captives, have issued strong statements:

• United States: President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire deals that allowed for hostage releases and vowed to continue working until all American hostages were freed. The White House and State Department repeatedly praised mediation efforts while stressing that Hamas must release everyone in captivity.
• Israel: Israeli officials expressed joy for returning families but maintained firm resolve to free all hostages. Prime Minister Netanyahu called Hamas’s taking of hostages a “crime against humanity” and promised to “ensure Hamas pays the full price” for its abuses.
• European Nations: Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and Canada uniformly condemned Hamas’s hostage-taking and celebrated the partial releases. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the freedom of French-Israeli hostages and pledged support to families of those still missing.
• Thailand: The Thai government, with over 20 nationals held hostage, engaged in its own negotiations with Hamas via backchannels. Officials expressed immense relief as Thai workers were freed and arranged government flights to bring them home.
• Human Rights Organizations: Groups like Human Rights Watch unequivocally stated that holding civilians hostage is a war crime and called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all those abducted.
• United Nations: UN officials called for Hamas to release all hostages, especially children. After some hostages were paraded through crowds upon release, UN human rights experts “denounced the degrading public display” of these hostages by Hamas.

Media coverage of the hostage crisis has been extensive, with major news networks broadcasting the emotional moments when hostages were reunited with their families. In Israel, walls of cities were plastered with posters of the hostages’ faces as part of a campaign to keep their plight visible. Each name freed was celebrated on social media and in town squares, while the international community viewed the releases as rare good news amid a bloody war.

Peace Through Freedom: The Path Forward

The hostage releases have had significant implications for the trajectory of the Israel-Hamas conflict. They’ve demonstrated that diplomacy can yield results even amid intense fighting, with the prospect of freeing hostages becoming a key driver for temporary pauses in the conflict.

Each tranche of releases has slightly eased domestic pressure on the Israeli government, as families of hostages have formed a powerful advocacy group. The war effort has been effectively put on hold during ceasefires, showing that the hostage question can even supersede military objectives for a time.

Internationally, the successful releases are seen as confidence-building measures. Analysts note that if the January 2025 agreement (sometimes called the “second stage” deal) were fully implemented—with all remaining hostages released—it could pave the way to an end of active hostilities. Indeed, that deal included discussions of a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza after hostages were freed, and potentially a shift to longer-term negotiations about Gaza’s future and reconstruction.

As of early March 2025, the situation remains delicate. Dozens of hostages are still in captivity, and sporadic violence continues. Yet the hostage releases mark major turning points in the conflict, offering glimmers of hope amid the war’s darkest days. International actors continue to press for the release of all remaining captives and a more durable peace.

Whether the momentum from these exchanges leads to a lasting resolution—or whether fighting will resume once both sides feel their immediate objectives were met—remains an open question, but the importance of the hostage issue in shaping the Gaza war’s course is undeniable.

How You Can Help

The fight to bring home all hostages continues. Here are ways you can support this crucial humanitarian cause:

• Stay informed about the hostages and their stories through verified sources
• Share information about the hostages on social media using hashtags like #BringThemHomeNow
• Contact your representatives to urge continued diplomatic pressure for hostage release
• Support organizations working directly with hostage families and advocacy groups
• Attend vigils and rallies to keep public attention focused on the hostages’ plight

Remember that every voice matters in the effort to bring these innocent people home to their families and rebuild shattered lives.