The hostages in Gaza were a group of 251 people taken captive by Hamas during the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. As of October 13, 2025, the last 20 remaining living hostages have been released by Hamas to Israel under a ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump. Additionally, Hamas is expected to release the remains of 28 dead hostages, though only 4 have been promised so far. The released hostages include civilians, soldiers, families, and some foreign nationals. Here are some details about the hostages:
- The initial kidnapping included about 251 people, including men, women, children, Israelis, and foreign nationals from countries such as Thailand, Nepal, France, Germany, UK, and the US.
- The hostages were taken from diverse places like kibbutzim, music festivals, homes, and workplaces.
- Among the last 20 living hostages released are people such as Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Guy Gilboa-Dallal, twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, Nimrod Cohen (an IDF soldier), Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, and others.
- Some well-known stories include Liri Albag, who was held for 477 days and known for her leadership among captives, and Yarden Roman-Gat, a dual German-Israeli national, taken with her family during the massacre in Be'eri.
- Several hostages are confirmed dead, including Bipin Joshi, a Nepalese agricultural student abducted from Kibbutz Alumim.
- Palestinians have also detained prisoners held by Israel, with reciprocal releases following the ceasefire.
The hostage release ended a traumatic period for Israel and marked an important step in the ceasefire and efforts toward peace after two years of conflict and devastation in Gaza and Israel.
