More than a year after Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023 – killing around 1,200 people and taking another 250 captive – 94 hostages still remain, although Israel believe around a third are dead.
The official Israeli figure for the total number of people still held in Gaza is 98, although this also includes four who were taken in 2014 and 2015, with two of those believed to be dead. A ceasefire deal announced on Wednesday promises the release of the hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian militant factions in Gaza.
The first stag od the ceasefire will last six weeks and see “a full and complete ceasefire” while 33 hostages in Gaza and up to 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel would be freed. The hostages released will include women, the elderly and the sick.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer previously said most but not all of the 33 – which include children – were thought to still be alive.
In the second stage, the remaining living hostages, including men, would be released in return for more Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
However, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Thursday that his Cabinet will not meet to approve the agreement until Hamas backs down from what he called a “last minute crisis” – accusing Hamas of backtracking on the deal. Hamas has denied this and Mr Netanyahu is no stranger to posturing.
The Independent details who some of these remaining hostages are, below:
Emily Damari (28)
The 28-year-old dual British-Israeli national was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Her mother Mandy told a memorial event held in London on 6 October that the hostages who had been released the previous November had said to her that they had had contact with her daughter while in captivity.
Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov (28)
The 28-year-old was captured alongside three other members of his family from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His mother Lena, his partner Sapir Cohen and his grandmother Irina Tati were all released the month following Hamas’ 7 October attack.
Ariel Cunio (27) and Arbel Yahud (29)
The couple were both taken hostage from Nir Oz. Ariel’s brother Eitan Cunio managed to escape from captivity. Eitan went on to tell the Jewish Chronicle that “We are in a horror movie” was his last message from the 27-year-old.
