The Islamist movement Hamas would have taken about 120 Israeli citizens, foreigners and dual citizens hostage on October 7, according to the Israeli government. In addition, it is estimated that they killed around 1,300 people in their October 7 raid.
Among the hostages are soldiers, women, children, the elderly, foreign workers and people with dual nationality.
Israeli forces have since subjected the Gaza Strip to constant bombing in the enclave, which local authorities say killed more than 2,200 Palestinians, 724 of them children.
What proof of life do you have?
After a week of lack of clarity, while the bodies found at the sites of the Palestinian Islamist movement attacks were being searched, the government identified 120 hostages, civilians and soldiers, and estimates that the total could be 150, without knowing if they are alive. or dead.
Among the hostages are Israeli soldiers, women, children, the elderly, foreign workers and people with dual nationality.
Evidence of the abduction comes from images recorded and released by Hamas at the time of the abductions on October 7 or later.
According to Hamas, which has threatened to execute them in the event of attacks against civilians, 22 hostages have already died in Israeli bombings, without this number being verifiable.
How does Israel operate?
Israel on Monday named Gal Hirsch, a fallen general mired in a corruption case, as coordinator to resolve the hostage crisis, whose appointment has been criticized by several experts.
An FBI negotiator is also present, as several American citizens are among the hostages.
In the early hours of Saturday, a first Israeli raid was carried out in Gaza “in search of evidence that would allow the location of hostages”, dead or alive.
Israel has an elite intelligence unit of the Israeli army that is best suited to intervene in this type of scenario: Sayeret Matkal. Among other things, it is responsible for rescuing hostages outside the borders.
The main difficulty remains in the midst of the chaos of the bombings to locate these hostages, knowing that Hamas is known for operating under a highly decentralized cell system.
One of the negotiators for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011, Gershon Baskin, said that “amnesia and passage to the West Bank must be guaranteed to any Hamas fighter who hands over a hostage at the border.”
Are there international channels?
At this time no official channel has been made public. In addition to possible mediation by Egypt, the historic negotiator between Israel and Hamas, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) affirm that they are talking with the Palestinian Islamist movement.
“As a neutral intermediary, we are ready to carry out humanitarian visits, to facilitate communication between the hostages and their families and any possible release,” declared the ICRC regional director for the Middle East.