All articles tagged with #hostage
Guy Gilboa-Dalal, abducted from the Nova festival in 2023 and held in Gaza for more than two years, says he was sexually abused by a Hamas captor in tunnels and threatened with death if he spoke; the account underscores the brutal dangers hostages faced even during cease-fires.
Former Israeli hostage Sasha Troufanov, who spent 498 days in Gaza, says the return of Ran Gvili’s body — the last of the captives' remains — lets all released hostages breathe and start rebuilding their lives. He describes brutal, isolating captivity, including beatings, sexual harassment, and constant surveillance, noting his fiancée Sapir Cohen was freed earlier while he was released in February 2025. He emphasizes that rebuilding Gaza alone won’t prevent future attacks and calls for lasting steps to halt the cycle of violence as he begins rehabilitation and plans his wedding.
Israel says it has recovered the body of the last Gaza hostage, Master Sgt Ran Gvili, ending the search tied to the October ceasefire; with all Gaza hostages accounted for, border crossings with Egypt can reopen and the second phase of Donald Trump’s peace plan—focusing on Gaza’s reconstruction and Hamas disarmament—can proceed.
Israel says it will reopen the Rafah border crossing with Egypt only after completing a focused operation to recover the body of Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage killed in 2023; the crossing has been largely closed since May 2024. The search in northern Gaza could last several days, after which a limited pedestrian reopening with Israeli monitoring is planned, with broader reopening contingent on finishing the operation and ongoing mediation with the US and Egypt as phase two of the Gaza peace plan is discussed.
Israel said its military is conducting a large-scale operation in Gaza to locate Ran Gvili, the last hostage held since 2023, as U.S. mediators press to move the ceasefire into its second phase and reopen Rafah. The search, including cemetery work and sites in Gaza City and northern Gaza, could take days, with Hamas saying it has provided all known information about Gvili’s remains and accusing Israel of stalling. The day also featured a fire at UNRWA’s Jerusalem headquarters amid rising tensions.
Israel says its military is conducting a large-scale operation to locate the last hostage in Gaza, Ran Gvili, a move seen as clearing the way for the second phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and potential reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
Israel said it is carrying out a large-scale operation in Gaza to locate Ran Gvili, the last hostage, as U.S. mediators push to advance the ceasefire and reopen the Rafah crossing; searches focus on areas near the Yellow Line and Gaza City, with the operation potentially taking days to complete.
Israel reportedly conducted a covert operation in Gaza to abduct an Islamic Jihad operative believed to be connected to the holding of Ran Gvili's body, which has been in Hamas's possession for months, with ongoing efforts to recover it.
Efforts to recover the body of the last Israeli hostage held by Hamas in Gaza are delayed due to heavy rains and bad weather, impacting the progress of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, with ongoing tensions and humanitarian crises in the region.
The Goldin family awaits official confirmation after Hamas claimed to have found Lt. Hadar Goldin's body in a tunnel in Rafah, with Israeli officials and family members hopeful yet cautious, as efforts continue to verify his fate after years of uncertainty since his abduction in 2014.
Rom Braslavski, a former hostage, recounts his harrowing experience of torture, starvation, and psychological trauma while in captivity by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, emphasizing that his suffering was solely due to his Jewish identity and detailing the brutal methods used by his captors.
Israeli officials are preparing to receive the body of a deceased hostage from Hamas, which claimed to have located the body after extensive digging. This follows recent IDF strikes in Gaza in response to Hamas violations of the ceasefire, including attacks and the deaths of two IDF soldiers. The IDF also responded to terrorists crossing the 'yellow line' near Shejaiya, posing threats to troops.
The fragile Gaza truce faces challenges after the body of a hostage, initially thought to be Israeli, was found not to be, testing the ongoing ceasefire efforts.
Avinatan Or, abducted from a music festival in Gaza and held in captivity for two years, was released and shared a humorous video message expressing gratitude and resilience. His father revealed he was kept in a cage and held in solitary confinement, but he remains mentally strong and hopeful. Or's reunion with his partner Noa Argamani symbolizes hope amid ongoing efforts to free all hostages.
Noa Argamani, a former Israeli hostage, described the stark differences in her captivity compared to her partner Avinatan Or, who was released under a Gaza ceasefire deal after being held for over two years. Argamani was held inside houses with other hostages, while Or was kept in tunnels alone. Both have now been reunited, but the situation remains tense as Hamas still holds 24 bodies of hostages. Argamani expressed hope for healing and justice, emphasizing the long road ahead.