After the cross-border attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7th, more than 100 hostages held in the Gaza Strip have been released. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people in Israel, led to the seizure of hostages whose numbers have been the subject of shifting estimates.
As of Thursday, Israel has reported that 143 hostages remain in Gaza, although it has not provided a full basis for its estimates. A deal mediated by Qatar between Israel and Hamas has seen the release of 75 Israeli citizens, including those who hold dual citizenship, since the fighting paused on November 24th. The deal involves the exchange of Israeli hostages, particularly women and children, for Palestinian women and teens held in Israeli prisons. Every released Israeli hostage triggers the release of three Palestinian prisoners under the terms of the deal.
Aside from those released under the exchange deal, 24 foreign nationals who do not hold Israeli citizenship have also been released since the pause in fighting began. Prior to the deal, some hostages, including two Americans, were also either released or rescued.
The demographics and nationalities of the remaining hostages in Gaza, as well as the number who have died while in captivity, remain unclear. Israel estimates that the majority of remaining hostages have Israeli citizenship and are men, potentially including soldiers. There are believed to be fewer than 10 U.S. citizens among the remaining hostages, according to the White House.
While Hamas is thought to hold most of the hostages, it is believed that some are also held by other militant groups, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Israel claims to have discovered the bodies of at least two hostages who were allegedly killed in captivity, while Hamas asserts that Israeli airstrikes have killed some hostages. However, the veracity of these claims cannot be independently verified.
As the situation continues to unfold, the list of released hostages and the details of those who remain in captivity are being closely monitored. The international community remains concerned about the welfare and safety of the remaining hostages in Gaza.