Israel–Hamas war hostage crisis

Page extended-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Dr.Swag Lord, Ph.d (talk | contribs) at 02:26, 23 October 2023. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Posters in Tel Aviv calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza

On 7 October 2023, as part of the surprise attack on Israel at the beginning of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Hamas militants kidnapped around 200 people to the Gaza Strip,[1][2][3][4] and estimated that another 50 had been kidnapped by other Palestinian militant factions.[5] Handbooks made by Hamas suggest that its militants were instructed to "kill the difficult" hostages, and use the rest as human shields.[6] Most of the captives were Israeli civilians, with a smaller number of soldiers and foreign nationals. The captives are likely being held in different locations in the Gaza Strip.[7]

Background

See also: Palestinian prisoners in Israel

The issue of prisoners is considered emotional for both Israelis and Palestinians;[8] since 1967, 750,000 to 1 million Palestinians have been arrested by Israel.[9][8][10] As of October 2023, there are at least 4,000 Palestinians (includng 170 children[9]) in Israeli prisons,[11] and some have been convicted of terrorism.[12] 1,200 Palestinians are held without any charges or trial;[13][14] Israel justifies the practice citing security reasons.[14]

Prisoner exchanges have long been practiced in the Arab-Israeli conflict.[15] In 2006, Hamas captured Gilad Shalit, forcing Israel to release 1,000 Palestinians, some of whom had been convicted by Israel of terrorism,[12] as part of a prisoner swap.[16]

On August 31, 2023, Israel warned its citizens that Hamas was trying to kidnap them.[17]

Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

Main article: Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

On the morning of 7 October 2023, around 6:30 a.m. IST, Hamas launched an attack into Israel from multiple sites on its border with the Gaza Strip. The attack included ground and motorized infiltration into Israeli territory, attacks on Israel Defence Forces bases and exchanges of fire with security forces, massacres and shooting of Israeli civilians, takeovers of settlements and military facilities. The ground militant activity was combined with and backed by massive, sustained rocket fire of thousands of rockets.[18]

At around 7:00 a.m., Hamas militants raided many settlements and kibbutzim (intentional communities) in the Gaza periphery area of Israel. They carried out massacres in 10+ kibbutzim, including Be'eri,[19][20] Nahal Oz,[21][22] Nir Oz,[23] Netiv HaAsara,[24] and Kfar Aza,[25] as well as a massacre at a music festival near Re'im in which at least 260 people were murdered.[26][27][28] The combined attacks were described as "the biggest terror attack in [Israel's] history".[28]

Kidnappings

File:Kidnapped by Hamas posters 2023 in LA.jpg
Posters in Los Angeles calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza

In the initial wave of attacks, the militants kidnapped civilians and brought them back to Gaza as captives.[3][4][29] According to statements by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, around 200 civilians, of which the number of children is slightly under 30, and soldiers were kidnapped during the raid on the Gaza periphery settlements.[30][31] Israel confirmed the identity of 203 hostages among them 30 children[32], while Gaza spokespeople reported holding roughly 200 and estimated another 50 were held by other factions.[33]

At least 250 additional hostages were taken on the first day of the war, but rescued that day.[34][35]

Video analysis from The Washington Post shows that some of the captives were executed after their capture.[19][7]

Some of the kidnapped are foreign nationals including from Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States.[36] 11 Thai citizens working in greenhouses in the Gaza periphery were also kidnapped.[36] Nepal confirmed seven of its citizens who are university students were kidnapped in Herzliya and ten more Nepalis in Alumim were abducted.[37] Italy announced that 10 of its citizens were kidnapped and brought to Gaza, including a one-year-old baby.[citation needed] At least one Filipino was abducted.[38]

Video footage showed Shani Louk, a German-Israeli woman taken hostage amidst the Re'im music festival massacre who gained public interest in a video of Palestinians parading her in the bed of a pickup truck while near-naked and unconscious.[39][40][41][42] Initially reported to have been killed on the day of the attack,[43] Louk's mother later published a video saying she had seen evidence that she was alive in hospital in critical condition, while demanding that the German government act quickly to have her returned.[44] Another highly publicized kidnapping case was the abduction of Avinathan Or and Noa Argamani, who participated in the trance party near Re'im.[45][46][47] They were filmed being taken by the militants to Gaza, after WhatsApp messages they sent asking for help from their hiding place from 8:10 a.m. were exposed.[45] The footage — which showed Argamani being taken on a motorcycle while reaching out for Or, who was being led by his captors on foot — subsequently went viral on social media.[48] Images taken by the Associated Press also showed an unidentified elderly woman being kidnapped.[29]

File:Iron Swords 141023 Azrieli Bring Them Home.jpg
Billboard in Tel Aviv calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza

There is video depicting at least 64 of the abductees.[49]

On 13 October, Hamas released a video of kidnapped children being trained to utter Islamic phrases in return for being allowed to drink, with a Hamas member saying to a child hostage "say ‘bismillah’ (in the name of Allah)." before drinking a cup of water and the child repeats "bismillah."[50]

On 14 October, Hamas claimed that nine hostages had been killed over a 24-hour period due to Israeli airstrikes.[51]

On 20 October, Hamas released two American hostages "for humanitarian reasons" and in response to Qatari and US pressure.[52][53] The International Committee of the Red Cross said it helped facilitate the release of the hostages by transporting them from Gaza to Israel.[53]

Responses

On Sunday evening, 8 October, the families of the kidnapped and missing held a press conference, demanding the government open ongoing talks with the families and carry out an operation to bring the missing home, appoint someone to maintain ongoing contact with the families, immediately involve Turkish President Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Egyptian President El-Sisi, to release the captives.[54] The government appointed Gal Hirsch to be in charge of the issue.[55]

Mansour Abbas, head of the Ra'am party, said in an interview with Kan 11 that he "calls on the leadership of all Palestinian factions to prove a human moral position reflecting the values of Islam, and to immediately release all the kidnapped, hostages and prisoners of war".[56]

As part of Israel's counteroffensive, Israel implemented a "total blockade" of the Gaza strip until the hostages have been released.[57] The IDF confirmed on 13 October that Israeli remains were located and retrieved in the Gaza Strip.[58]

On 16 October 2023, a report sent to the International Committee of the Red Cross by the Geneva-based organization Hostage and Missing Families Forum medical team, headed by professor Hagai Levine, said hostages are "in urgent need of treatment and lifesaving medication" and are "prone to immediate mortality." The report also expressed concern about babies requiring infant formula.[59][60]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Images of the Mass Kidnapping of Israelis by Hamas". The Atlantic. 9 October 2023. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  2. ^ Fabian, Emanuel; Staff, ToI; Agencies. "Israel confirms civilians and soldiers abducted by Hamas into Gaza". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b Vinograd, Cassandra; Kershner, Isabel (9 October 2023). "Hamas Took Scores of Hostages From Israel. Here's What We Know About Them". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b Jones, Sam; Fidler, Matt (18 October 2023). "Who are the hostages taken by Hamas from southern Israel?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  5. ^ Sherwood, Harriet (17 October 2023). "Hamas says 250 people held hostage in Gaza". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  6. ^ Wood, Graeme (19 October 2023). "Hamas's Hostage-Taking Handbook Says to 'Kill the Difficult Ones' and Use Hostages as 'Human Shields'". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  7. ^ a b i24NEWS (8 October 2023). "Hamas plans to use Israeli civilian hostages as human shields". I24news. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ a b Isabel Debre. "Israeli hostage crisis in Hamas-ruled Gaza becomes a political trap for Netanyahu". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Why are so many Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails?". Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Special Rapporteur Says Israel's Unlawful Carceral Practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Are Tantamount to International Crimes and Have Turned it into an Open-Air Prison". United Nations. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Palestinian groups have used soldiers as bargaining chips in the past". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  12. ^ a b Vinograd, Cassandra; Kershner, Isabel (9 October 2023). "Hamas Took Scores of Hostages From Israel. Here's What We Know About Them". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Israel formally declares war, approves 'significant' steps to retaliate for Hamas attack". CBC News. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Israel holds over 1,200 detainees without charge. That's the most in 3 decades, a rights group says". Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  15. ^ "Israeli hostages now face a terrifying ordeal". The Economist. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Israeli hostage crisis in Hamas-ruled Gaza becomes a political trap for Netanyahu". Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  17. ^ Berman, Lazar. "Ahead of High Holidays, Israel warns travelers of kidnapping threat". www.timesofisrael.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  18. ^ "What is Hamas, what is happening in Israel and Gaza Strip, and other questions". BBC News. 7 October 2023. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  19. ^ a b Kelly, Meg; Cahlan, Sarah (10 October 2023). "Video shows apparent death of Israeli hostages in Hamas custody". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  20. ^ Kierszenbaum, Quique (11 October 2023). "'It was a pogrom': Be'eri survivors on the horrific attack by Hamas terrorists". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  21. ^ "Videos show new details on how Hamas launched surprise assault on Israel". CNN. 8 October 2023. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  22. ^ McKernan, Bethan; Kierszenbaum, Quique (9 October 2023). "'They are in my house': kibbutz survivors tell of Hamas attack". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  23. ^ "Militants enter Israel from Gaza after woman killed in rocket barrage". CNN. 7 October 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  24. ^ "Border town identifies at least 15 of its residents killed in Hamas attack". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  25. ^ Lubell, Maayan (10 October 2023). "Insight: How an Israeli kibbutz 'paradise' turned into hell in Hamas attack". Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  26. ^ Stambaugh, Sophie Tanno,Paul P. Murphy,Allegra Goodwin,Benjamin Brown,Hadas Gold,Abeer Salman,Ibrahim Dahman,Kareem Khadder,Gianluca Mezzofiore,Alex (8 October 2023). "Festivalgoers, children, soldiers: What we know about the people captured by Hamas". CNN. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ "Israel's 9/11? How Hamas Terrorist Attacks Will Change the Middle East". War on the Rocks. 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Israel has suffered the biggest terror attack in its history. How will it respond?". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  29. ^ a b Kidnapped elderly woman, piles of rubble from rockets: Inside the war in Israel | NewsNation Prime, archived from the original on 9 October 2023, retrieved 10 October 2023
  30. ^ Yonah, Jeremy (19 October 2023). "IDF working on rescue ops for over 200 Israeli hostages in Gaza". Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  31. ^ Staff, ToI. "Hamas, Islamic Jihad claim to hold 130 Israelis captive in Gaza, including IDF officials". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  32. ^ "ICRC confirms 2 American hostages delivered to them by Hamas". Ynet. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  33. ^ Fabian, Emanuel; Pacchiani, Gianluca. "Hamas releases propaganda clip of hostage seized in Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel". www.timesofisrael.com. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  34. ^ 250 Hostages Rescued From Hamas in Raid: Israel Authorities, archived from the original on 20 October 2023, retrieved 19 October 2023
  35. ^ Fabian, Emanuel. "IDF publishes footage of elite troops retaking Gaza border post from Hamas on Saturday". www.timesofisrael.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  36. ^ a b Staff, ToI; Berman, Lazar; Fiske, Gavriel; Agencies. "Foreign nationals among murdered, abducted and missing in brutal Hamas assault". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  37. ^ "At least 7 Nepali injured, 17 held captive by Hamas in Israel: Nepal's envoy". The Economic Times. ANI. 7 October 2023. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  38. ^ Cupin, Bea (9 October 2023). "1 Filipino abducted, 6 missing in Israel". Rappler. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  39. ^ "Israel: Shani Louk - Deutsche Geisel der Hamas lebt" [Israel: Shani Louk – German Hamas hostage alive]. ZDF (in German). 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023. Das Video der schwer verletzten Shani Louk erlangte im Internet große Bekanntheit. (transl. The video of seriously injured Shani Louk became widely known on the Internet.)
  40. ^ "Israel: Mindestens fünf Deutsche als Geisel genommen". ZDF (in German). 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  41. ^ "'She's alive': Mum claims Shani Louk is fighting for life in Gaza hospital". The New Zealand Herald. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  42. ^ Kossoff, Julian; Rennolds, Nathan (8 October 2023). "Shani Louk, whose naked body was paraded by Hamas fighters, was also possibly robbed. Her credit card was used in Gaza, report says". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  43. ^ Crisp, James (7 October 2023). "Naked woman paraded by jeering Hamas fighters". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  44. ^ Squires, Nick (11 October 2023). "German woman paraded by Hamas after festival massacre is 'still alive'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  45. ^ a b Messier, Ashlyn (9 October 2023). "Who is Noa Argamani? Woman kidnapped by Hamas terrorists at trance music festival in Israel". Fox News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  46. ^ ""Her name is Noa": Video shows woman being taken by Hamas at Supernova music festival where at least 260 were killed - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  47. ^ Cohen, Rebecca. "A friend of a 25-year-old woman filmed begging militants not to kill her says no one can escape the videos and firsthand accounts of Hamas' attacks". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  48. ^ Noyen, Maria. "Disturbing video shows a 25-year-old woman begging Hamas fighters not to kill her as she's taken hostage and driven into Gaza on a motorbike". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  49. ^ "Hamas took at least 64 captives into Gaza, visual evidence suggests". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  50. ^ "Hamas posts footage of terrorists holding kidnapped Israeli children". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  51. ^ "Hamas claims nine hostages killed 'due to Israeli airstrikes' in last 24 hours". The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  52. ^ "Hamas releases two US hostages 'for humanitarian reasons' in response to Qatari efforts -spokesperson". Reuters. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  53. ^ a b Hutchinson, Bill; Gretsky, Will; Chile, Patricio; Pereira, Ivan (20 October 2023). "2 American hostages held since Hamas attack on Israel released: IDF". ABC News. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  54. ^ "WATCH: Families of Kidnapped Israelis Hold Tearful Press Conference Outside Tel Aviv | United with Israel". UWI. 9 October 2023. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  55. ^ Berman, Lazar (8 October 2023). "Netanyahu names general as government point man on missing Israelis". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  56. ^ מנסור עבאס: "לשחרר את האסירים הישראלים"
  57. ^ Chacar, Henriette; Al-Mughrabi, Nidal; Pamuk, Humeyra; Al-Mughrabi, Nidal; Pamuk, Humeyra (12 October 2023). "Israel links Gaza aid to hostages' release as humanitarian disaster looms". Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  58. ^ "Troops on 'localized' raids into Gaza said to recover bodies, items of missing people". The Times of Israel. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  59. ^ Sokol, Sam (16 October 2023). "Hostages' Families Group to Red Cross: Many of Almost 200 Israelis Held in Gaza in Severe Need of Medical Treatment". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  60. ^ Levine, Hagai (15 October 2023). "Preliminary Medical Report of the Missing/Abducted people by Hamas" (PDF). The Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Israel–Hamas_war_hostage_crisis&oldid=1181444742"