the essential
One year after the Hamas attack on Israeli soil, on October 7, 2023, many hostages are still in the hands of the terrorist organization. Benjamin Netanyahu once again said he wanted to “bring them back”. We take stock of their situation.
For the past year, around a hundred people have been held by Hamas in the territory of the Gaza Strip. 365 days of captivity during which these hostages became the main bargaining chip for the terrorist organization in order to negotiate a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
On October 7, 2023, in Reim, 251 people were kidnapped by Hamas during an attack during a music festival near the Palestinian enclave. Of this total, 37 were found dead and 117 were released, mainly women, children and foreign workers. They regained their freedom during the only week of truce in the conflict, in November 2023.
63 hostages presumed alive
One year later, 97 people are still detained in Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, 34 are considered dead. A few hours ago, the Hostage Families Forum announced in a press release “to mourn the murder of Idan Shtivi”, 28 years old.
The other 63 detainees – presumed alive – are still held prisoner in Gaza. Among them are 51 men, 10 women and 2 children. 56 are Israelis, including at least 20 dual nationals, reports L’Express.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding their fate, Israel has been working for a year to free them from the hands of their enemies. “On this day, in this place and in many places in our country, we remember our dead, our hostages – whom we are obliged to bring back – and our heroes who fell in defense of the homeland and the country” , declared Benjamin Netanyahu, this Monday, October 7, 2024 in Jerusalem, on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the attack.
Two Franco-Israelis still detained
The French head of state Emmanuel Macron sent on Two of the hostages, whose situation France is closely monitoring, are Franco-Israeli: Ohad Yahalomi, a 50-year-old man, as well as Ofer Kalderon, a 53-year-old man.
“France is unfailingly attached” to the security of Israel, recalled this Monday, Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs, present in Israel in Réïm where at least 370 participants had been massacred. Jean-Noël Barrot evoked the memory of the forty Franco-Israeli victims: “France mourns alongside Israel, our compatriots” killed, and “will never stop demanding the unconditional release of the hostages”, assured the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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