Washington D.C. – NBC, September 23, 2024
Nearly a year since Hamas and other militant groups kidnapped at least 251 people from Israel into Gaza, a cease-fire deal most likely to get them out alive and end the soaring death toll among Palestinians has remained elusive. Last month’s recovery of six hostages who were killed by their captors shortly before Israeli soldiers found them added fresh urgency to the desperation of families still waiting for their loved ones’ return.
“We can’t allow ourselves not to have hope,” said Lee Siegel, the brother of Keith Siegel, an American who has been held in Gaza since he and his wife, Aviva Siegel, were kidnapped on Oct. 7.
Aviva Siegel was among the more than 100 hostages released in a temporary cease-fire deal in November after 52 days in captivity. Lee Siegel, 72, said in a phone interview Tuesday that he believes a more permanent cease-fire deal “is the only way to return hostages alive.”
NBC News takes a look at the hostages who remain in Hamas captivity.
How many are still there?
Of the at least 251 people who were taken hostage, according to Israeli officials, at least 154 have been released by Hamas, rescued by the Israel Defense Forces, recovered dead or killed in encounters.
The majority of the released hostages — 105 — were freed during a brief temporary cease-fire in November, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
At least eight are known to have been rescued alive in IDF operations, including one in June, when Noa Argamani, 26, whose story became widely known after video of her capture went viral on social media, was rescued along with three others.
In December, three hostages — Alon Shamriz, Yotam Haim and Samer Talalka — were shot and killed by Israeli soldiers, who said they mistook them for combatants, though they were holding a white flag. Other hostages have been found dead, including the six Hamas killed last month. Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was among them.
