2023-12-02 02:32:07
While fighting resumed Friday between Hamas and Israel after a truce which allowed the release of 105 hostages, at least 136 of them are still held prisoner in the Gaza Strip.
Of the 105 hostages who were released during a seven-day truce, 80 were released as part of the agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement, plus five people previously released. The remainder being the majority of Thai nationals released separately.
In detail, 33 minors, 49 adult women, as well as 28 adult men, mainly Thai agricultural workers outside the truce agreement, were released.
While Israeli raids have resumed on Palestinian territory, “136 hostages, including 17 women and children” are still being held there, the Israeli army spokesperson said on Friday.
Among these hostages, whose names the Israeli government is not revealing, are 125 Israelis or binationals, eight Thais, a Nepalese, a Tanzanian and a Franco-Mexican (Orion Hernandez-Radoux, 32, whose identity was confirmed by his family ).
15 women still held back
The following data analyzes the 108 presumed hostages still living in Gaza that AFP managed to identify as of December 1, mainly thanks to its network of journalists in regular contact with hostage families and the Israeli press.
Apart from the infant Kfir (ten months) and his brother Ariel (4 years old) – announced dead by Hamas with their mother Shiri Bibas (32 years old) without this having been confirmed by Tel Aviv – there is no longer any minor hostages in the Gaza Strip. The last, the Bedouin Aïsha al-Zayadna (17 years old) was released on Thursday, the last day of the truce. The Israel-Hamas agreement provided for their release as a priority.
VIDEO. Hostages released by Hamas: moving images of reunion with their loved ones
On the other hand, women, the second priority population, have not all been released. Fifteen adult women are still being held, according to the Israeli army. Ofra Keidar and Judith Weinstein Haggai, both 70 years old, are the two oldest women still presumed hostages.
Five women, aged 18 or 19, are soldiers and were therefore not affected by the hostage release agreement. Added to this are at least ten male soldiers aged 18 to 22. Most were doing their military service and were not career soldiers.
91 adult men
Including the soldiers, at least 91 adult men are still presumed hostages. Among them are many fathers, whose children and wives were released during the truce, such as David Cunio, Dror Or, Tal Shoham, Ilan Weiss, Yair Yakoov, Youssef al-Zayadna and Ohad Yahalomi and Ofer Kalderon, the fathers of Franco-Israeli teenagers Eitan, Erez and Sahar.
At least seven septuagenarians and four octogenarians are still presumed captive, including husbands of freed women: Abraham (78 years old), husband of Ruth Munder, Yoram (80), husband of Tamar Metzger, and Oded (83 years old) and Amiram (85 years old), the husbands of Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Kuper, released in October.
Of the hostages still held, at least 33 were kidnapped from the Tribe of Nova techno music festival, attended by more than 3,000 people. Only five ravers were released during the truce, including Franco-Israeli Mia Shem.
Around ten kibbutzs still have hostages. First and foremost Nir Oz, which still lists at least 27 captives (38 have been released). Beeri still deplores at least eleven hostages, Kfar Aza, six, and Nir Yitzhak, four.
Some might be dead
However, it is not certain that all of them are still alive. Hamas has repeatedly announced hostage deaths, although they cannot be independently verified. This is particularly the case of the infant Kfir, his mother Shiri Bibas and his big brother Ariel, whose death the army has not confirmed.
To date, the Israeli military has confirmed seven hostage deaths, including five on Friday. Furthermore, as proof of life is rare, it still regularly happens that victims, initially considered to be hostages, are ultimately identified as killed in the October 7 attack.
In addition to the hostages presumed alive, several bodies are also being held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas and its allies, including those of three Israeli soldiers killed on October 7.
In addition to the hostages, seven people are still considered missing by the authorities. These are therefore either hostages or people found dead whose bodies have not been identified.
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