Who're the hostages Israel believes are nonetheless alive?

[ad_1] TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Their faces stare down from each avenue nook in Israel on posters now sun-faded and ripped. Their tales, instructed by anguished members of the family, are virtually as well-known as celebrities. They're civilians and troopers, fathers and sons. Some have been on the Nova music competition, the place virtually 400 folks have been killed and dozens kidnapped.

The most recent ceasefire, which started Friday, marks a key step towards ending a ruinous two-year conflict that was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel, when some 1,200 folks have been killed and 251 kidnapped.

The combating has killed 67,000 Palestinians, based on Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants however says round half the deaths have been ladies and kids, and displaced round 90% of the Gaza inhabitants of some 2 million. The ministry is a part of the Hamas-run authorities, and the United Nations and plenty of unbiased specialists think about its figures to be essentially the most dependable estimate of wartime casualties in Gaza.

There are at present 48 hostages being held in Gaza, together with the physique of 1 soldier from a earlier conflict. Israel has decided that no less than 25 of the hostages have been killed on Oct. 7, 2023, or died whereas in captivity. It's unclear how lots of the remaining round 20 hostages are nonetheless alive and can return to Israel. There is just one remaining feminine hostage, who Israel believes was killed in captivity.

With the beginning of the ceasefire on Friday, the remaining hostages are anticipated to be launched inside 72 hours. Israel is ready to launch round 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in alternate.

Here's a take a look at 22 hostages Israel believes are nonetheless alive.

Matan Angrest, 22

Matan Angrest, an Israeli soldier, was kidnapped from his navy tank in southern Israel. He's the oldest of 4 youngsters from Kiryat Bialik, exterior of Haifa. His household has been among the many most vocal protesters and really vital of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Tuesday's two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 assault, his mom, Anat Angrest, addressed her son at a rally. “I do know you’re in ache, and I can’t hug you. I hear you whisper, ‘Come for me, Mother,’ and I can’t defend you," she stated.

Gali Berman & Ziv Berman, 28

The fraternal twins have been taken from their houses in kibbutz Kfar Aza, on the border with Gaza, throughout the Oct. 7 assault. Seventeen others have been additionally kidnapped from Kfar Aza, however the Berman twins are the one hostages from the kibbutz who stay in captivity. The household has heard from hostages who returned in a earlier deal that, as of February, the brothers have been alive however being held individually. Liran Berman, their older brother, stated it’s the longest the 2 have ever spent aside. In Kfar Aza, the twins lived in flats throughout from one another. Gali is extra outgoing, whereas Ziv is extra reserved and shy with a pointy humorousness, their brother stated.

Elkana Bohbot, 36

Elkana Bohbot was kidnapped from the Nova music competition. Previously yr, Hamas has revealed a number of movies of Bohbot, filmed beneath duress, together with one the place he has a faux phone dialog together with his spouse, Rivka; their son, Reem; his mom and his brother — pleading with them to assist him get out of Gaza. His son made binoculars in kindergarten which he typically makes use of to exit and “search for his father,” based on Bohbot’s mom, Ruhama.

Rom Braslavski, 21

Braslavski was working as a safety guard on the Nova competition. He tried to assist competition goers evacuate and was wounded in each fingers earlier than being kidnapped, witnesses stated. In August, the Islamic Jihad militant group launched a video of a skeletal Braslavski sobbing and pleading for his life, including that accidents to his foot forestall him from standing. The movies of Braslavski and Evyatar David digging his personal grave horrified Israelis, sparking a number of the largest attendance in months at weekly protests. His father, Ofir, stated Rom is often a powerful, happy-go-lucky child, and that video is the primary time he’s seen his son cry.

Nimrod Cohen, 21

Nimrod Cohen was kidnapped from a tank the place he was stationed as a soldier in southern Israel. Cohen is obsessive about Rubik's cubes, his household stated, and a burned Rubik's dice was discovered within the tank he was kidnapped from. This yr, his mom, Viki Cohen, illustrated a Passover haggadah, the textual content laying out the rituals and story recited throughout the Passover vacation, in honor of hostages, partly as a result of her household has stopped celebrating holidays for the reason that assault. “We don’t collect as a household, as a result of it reminds us how a lot he's lacking,” Cohen stated. The one time the prolonged household gathers is at protests, she stated.

Ariel Cunio, 28

The youngest of 4 Cunio brothers, Ariel was kidnapped from the Nir Ozkibbutz together with his girlfriend, Arbel Yehoud, and her brother, Dolev, a married father of 4 who was later killed in captivity. In accordance with information reviews, Cunio and Yehoud had returned from an prolonged journey to South America weeks earlier than the assault and had simply adopted a pet. Yehoud was launched throughout the ceasefire in January.

David Cunio, 35

David Cunio, brother of Ariel Cunio, was kidnapped together with his spouse, Sharon, and their 3-year-old twins from the Nir Ozkibbutz. Sharon’s sister Danielle and her 5-year-old daughter, who have been visiting, additionally have been kidnapped. All have been launched in November, aside from David Cunio. In July, Sharon shared a photograph of the twins marking their fifth birthday, their second with out their father, writing on Fb that the women have modified a lot whereas he’s been in captivity that “they’re not the identical little ladies he knew.”

Evyatar David, 24

Evyatar David was taken hostage on the Nova music competition alongside together with his childhood pal, Man Gilboa-Dalal. In August, Hamas launched a video of David, gaunt and pale, who stated he was digging his personal grave. The situation of the hostages within the movies horrified Israelis and led tens of hundreds of protesters to take to the streets and demand a ceasefire deal, in one of many largest turnouts for the weekly hostage protests in months.

Man Gilboa-Dalal, 24

Man Gilboa-Dalal was amongst these kidnapped from the Nova music competition, whereas his brother managed to flee. Previously yr, he’s appeared in two movies launched by Hamas. In a single, he seems alongside his childhood pal, David, with militants filming them pleading for his or her freedom in a automobile whereas they watch three different hostages on stage being launched to the Pink Cross.

Maksym Harkin, 37

Maksym Harkin was kidnapped from Nova, which was the primary competition he had ever attended, based on his household. Harkin was born in Ukraine and moved to Israel together with his household, the place he lived in Tirat HaCarmel within the north. He has a 3-year-old daughter and was the first supplier for his mom and 11-year-old brother. Simply earlier than he was taken, his mom stated he despatched a remaining textual content message that stated, “I like you.” In July, Hamas launched a video of him filmed beneath duress a number of months prior.

Eitan Horn, 38

Eitan Horn, initially from Kfar Saba, was visiting his brother Iair on the Nir Ozkibbutz on Oct. 7. Each have been kidnapped. For a lot of the conflict, the 2 have been held with three different hostages in a dirty cell underground. In early February, militants filmed the emotional interplay between the brothers as they have been instructed that Iair could be launched and Eitan would keep in Gaza. Since his launch, Iair Horn has campaigned for his brother and the opposite hostages, flying incessantly to america and assembly with politicians.

Bipin Joshi, 24

Bipin Joshi arrived in Israel from his native Nepal a month earlier than the assault. He's the one non-Israeli hostage believed to be alive in Gaza. He got here to Israel on a scholar alternate to work and research agriculture at kibbutz Alumim on the Gaza border. Ten of the 17 Nepali college students in this system have been killed throughout the assault. Joshi, who was in a position to throw plenty of stay grenades out of the bomb shelter the place they have been hiding, was injured and kidnapped. Joshi’s sister, 17-year-old Pushpa Joshi, often travels eight hours every course on buses to Kathmandu from her dwelling in western Nepal to foyer officers to safe her brother’s launch. In August, his household traveled to Israel to satisfy with President Isaac Herzog and be part of households demonstrating in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Sq..

Segev Kalfon, 27

Segev Kalfon was kidnapped from the Nova music competition, the place he was final seen trying to flee militants alongside the freeway. Earlier than the assault, he labored at his household’s bakery in Dimona, in southern Israeli. The center little one of three, Kalfon had just lately been recognized with an nervousness dysfunction, a situation his household has highlighted in urging his launch. Kalfon’s household acquired an indication of life from him after the final ceasefire, when a number of the hostages stated they have been held with him for months. Kalfon’s household has centered on non secular rituals of their combat for his launch, together with touring to the grave of distinguished rabbis and dedicating a Torah scroll in his honor.

Bar Kupershtein, 23

Bar Kupershtein was working on the Nova competition as a safety guard when he was kidnapped. Witnesses stated Kupershtein stayed on the competition to attempt to present first support to individuals who had been shot and injured. Kupershtein was the primary monetary help for his household after his father was severely injured in an accident a number of years in the past, his aunt, Ora Rubinstein, instructed reporters. She stated that his father labored with a bodily therapist to regain the flexibility to talk, so he may meet with politicians to advocate for his son’s launch. He has instructed the household that he'll stroll once more when his son comes dwelling, she stated.

Omri Miran, 48

Omri Miran was kidnapped from the Nahal Ozkibbutz. In the course of the assault, militants held his household, together with his two daughters, ages 2 and 6 months, hostage within the kitchen of a neighbor’s home after which broadcast it on Fb Reside. Miran and the daddy of the opposite household, Tsachi Idan, have been kidnapped. Idan’s physique was launched over the past hostage alternate after he was killed in captivity. Lishay Miran Lavi, Miran’s spouse, stated their youthful daughter is aware of “daddy Omri” solely via pictures and movies, and doesn’t actually perceive what a father is.

Eitan Mor, 25

Eitan Mor was working as a safety guard on the Nova music competition, the place he helped evacuate folks injured within the assault. Mor’s dad and mom helped discovered the Tikva Discussion board, a loosely organized group of hostage households. They advocated for navy strain, not an instantaneous ceasefire or hostage launch deal, as one of the best probability for bringing the hostages dwelling. That stance has put Mor’s father at odds with lots of the different households of hostages.

Tamir Nimrodi, 20

Tamir Nimrodi was kidnapped from Erez, a crossing on the northern border of Gaza that had been the primary route for folks getting into and leaving the territory. He had been serving with the Israeli protection physique overseeing humanitarian support in Gaza. Nimrodi was kidnapped with two different troopers by militants who walked them to the Gaza gate and compelled them to cross. Israel confirmed the deaths of the 2 troopers who have been kidnapped with Nimrodi. There was no signal of life from Nimrodi within the two years since he was seen in footage strolling into Gaza in shorts and a T-shirt with out his glasses. Herut Nimrodi, his mom, has stated she doesn’t know what's worse: to assume he has been killed in captivity, or that he’s alive however being held in horrible circumstances. “I’m scared to even think about,” she stated.

Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 25

Yosef-Chaim Ohana was kidnapped from the Nova music competition, the place he was working as a bartender. Witnesses noticed him trying to assist others escape earlier than he was kidnapped. He's the oldest of three brothers, one in every of whom beforehand died from an sickness.

Alon Ohel, 24

Alon Ohel, who additionally has German and Serbian citizenship, was kidnapped on the Nova music competition from a cell bomb shelter together with Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American-Israeli who was killed in captivity in August 2024. A proficient pianist, his household has positioned pianos throughout Israel and a number of other websites around the globe to boost consciousness of his plight. Three different hostages who had been held with Ohel for greater than a yr have been launched throughout the earlier ceasefire, together with Eli Sharabi, who stated Ohel was like his adopted son. Sharabi stated they have been saved chained for your complete interval of their captivity and subsisted on a moldy pita per day. Ohel has shrapnel in his eye from the assault on the bomb shelter and his household is fearful he could also be partially blind.

Avinatan Or, 32

Avinatan Or was kidnapped from the Nova music competition alongside together with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, who was rescued by Israeli forces in June 2024. On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a video of the pair that has turn into one of the crucial well-known movies from that day. It confirmed Argamani on an all-terrain automobile crying, “Don’t kill me!” and reaching out her arms to Or, who's being marched away from her by militants. Or labored in hi-tech in Tel Aviv earlier than his abduction.

Matan Zangauker, 25

Matan Zangauker was kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Ozalong together with his girlfriend, Ilana Gritzewsky. The 2 met whereas engaged on a medical hashish farm there. Gritzewsky was launched after 55 days and has since advocated tirelessly for his launch, sporting a hat of Zangauker’s she rescued from their burned dwelling. His mom, Einav, has been a continuing presence at protests, giving impassioned speeches and even being hoisted in a cage above the gang to attract consideration to the hostages’ plight. Zangauker, who stated she was beforehand a Netanyahu supporter, has emerged as one in every of his harshest critics. ___