Who are the released hostages?
- Published
Top: Noa Argamani, and Almog Meir Jan; Bottom: Andrei Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv
One more hostage taken prisoner during the 7 October attacks on Israel has been rescued from Gaza - bringing the total number freed to 117.
Kaid Farhan Elkadi, 52, is from a Bedouin village in the Negev desert and had been working as a security guard at Kibbutz Magen when he was abducted.
Four more Israeli hostages were rescued in June - their names are Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrei Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv.
Seventy-eight of the 117 freed hostages are Israeli women and children, who were released as part of a deal between Israel and Hamas.
Three Russian-Israelis, two women and one man not included in the deal, have also been handed over - and five Israelis had already been released in October.
Twenty-three Thai hostages and one Filipino were freed as part of a separate deal between Hamas and the Thai government.
Last updated on 27 August 2024 at 15:21 BST
Who are the released Israeli hostages?
On 27 August the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) said it rescued Kaid Farhan Elkadi, a father of 11 and grandfather of one, in a "complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip."
The IDF rescued Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrei Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41, in a daylight raid in central Gaza on 8 June. The IDF said they were freed during a "high-risk, complex mission" from two separate buildings in the Nuseirat area. It happened as scores of Palestinians were killed by Israeli attacks in the same area.
Fernando Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, were rescued during fighting in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza. They had been kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak along with three other members of their family, all of whom were released in November 2023. They are Mia Leimberg, 17, her mother Gabriela, 59, and Mia's aunt Clara Marman, 63.
Gabriela Leimberg, her daughter Mia and Mia's aunt Clara Marman were all released on 28 November
Amit Soussana, 40, a lawyer, was at home with a fever when Hamas attacked Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Her family told the Times of Israel she had messaged to say she could hear shooting and was going to hide in her safe room.
Mia Schem, 21, holds dual French-Israeli nationality. She appeared in the first hostage video released by Hamas saying that she had been abducted from the Supernova festival.
Mia Schem had appeared in a Hamas video with a wounded arm
Aisha Zyadna, 16, and her brother Bilal, 18, have been released, but their brother Hamza, and their father, remain in captivity.
Aisha and Bilal Zyadna were among about 240 people taken hostage by Hamas gunmen in the 7 October attack
Nili Margalit, 41, a nurse, had been kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Shani Goren, 29, was also taken from Nir Oz and later seen by family members in a video posted by Hamas. The granddaughter of Uruguayan nationals, she was granted citizenship following her abduction. Uruguay told local media it had been working for her release.
Ilana Gritzewsky 30, was taken hostage from Nir Oz along with her Israeli partner, Matan Zanguaker, according to Ilana's father, external. Ilana arrived in Israel from Mexico 14 years ago. Matan remains a hostage.
Ilana Gritzewsky and Matan Zanguaker were captured near the Gaza border, family say
Raya Rotem, 54, was released on Wednesday 29 November, a few days after her daughter Hila Rotem Shoshani, 13. They had been kidnapped from Kibbutz Be'eri.
Raya Rotem was kidnapped with her daughter Hila and her daughter's friend, Emily Hand
Itay Regev, 18, and his sister, Maya Regev, 21, have both now been released. They were taken from the Supernova music festival. The family had previously spotted Itay in a Hamas video, wearing handcuffs in the back of a vehicle.
Maya and Itay Regev had attended the Supernova festival together
Amit Shani, 16, was the only member of his family taken when Hamas gunmen broke into his family's safe room in Kibbutz Be'eri.
Also taken from Be'eri was Ofir Engel, 18, an Israeli-Dutch national, who was visiting his girlfriend, Yuval, when Hamas arrived. He was abducted along with Yuval's father, Yosi Sharabi, 51, and her uncle, Eli Sharabi, 55. They remain in captivity. Eli's wife and two daughters were murdered in the attack.
Ofir Engel turned 18 while in Gaza
Gali Tarshansky, 13, had also been kidnapped from Be'eri. Her brother, Lior, was killed in the attack.
Gali Tarshansky was held in Gaza for 54 days
Yarden Roman-Gat, a 36-year-old German-Israeli citizen, has been reunited with her husband and young child after being abducted from Be'eri. Her husband Alon, and three-year-old Gefen managed to escape, but Yarden became separated from them.
Yarden Roman-Gat initially escaped with husband Alon and daughter Gefen but went missing during the chase
Raz Ben Ami, 57, and Moran Stella Yanai, 40, were confirmed as having been released on 29 November.
Liat Atzili, 49, a dual US-Israeli citizen was also released.
Sapir Cohen, 29, was kidnapped along with her partner Alexander (Sasha) Trupanov who is still held captive by Hamas. She was released a day after his mother and grandmother, Lena Trupanov, 50, and Irena Tati, 73, were freed. Both older women held dual Russian-Israeli nationality, and Hamas said their release was a "tribute" to Russian President Vladimir Putin - who refused to condemn the group following the 7 October attacks - and not part of the deal with Israel.
Hamas also released another Russian-Israeli on the same grounds. Roni Krivoi, 25, was working as a sound engineer at the Supernova music festival when he was kidnapped.
Sharon Aloni Cunio, 34, and her three-year-old twin daughters Ema and Yuly, have been released, but David Cunio, Sharon's husband and father of the two girls, remains in Gaza.
The four were kidnapped from Nir Oz along with Sharon's sister, Daniele Aloni, and her six-year-old daughter Emilia. Both have now been released.
Sharon Aloni Cunio with her twin daughters, Emma and Yuli
Or Yaakov, 16, and his younger brother Yagil, who turned 13 during captivity, were freed, but their father Yair Yaakov, 59, remains a hostage. Yair's partner Meirav Tal, 53, has also been released.
Rimon Buchshtab Kirsht, 36, was taken hostage along with her husband Yagev. She has now been freed, but he remains a hostage.
Rimon Buchshtab Kirsht was freed on 28 November
Siblings Sahar Kalderon, 16, and Erez, 12, were released after being taken by Hamas from Nir Oz.
Karina Engel-Bart, 52, and her two daughters Mika Engel, 18, and Yuval Engel, 11, have been released.
Watch: Eitan Yahalomi hugs his mum as they are reunited
Eitan Yahalomi, 12, has been freed. His father, Ohad, who was shot and injured as he tried to defend their family home, is believed to be a hostage.
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Emily Hand turned nine while being held hostage in Gaza
Emily Hand, 9, was released after being held in Gaza without any of her family. The Irish-Israeli girl, who went missing from Be'eri, turned nine while she was a hostage. Her father, Tom Hand, who was originally told Emily had been killed, gave a statement to the BBC following her release.
"We can't find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days," he said, adding that while the family was "happy to hug Emily again", they have not forgotten the other people still being held captive.
Doron Katz Asher, 34, and her two daughters Raz, four, and Aviv, two, were taken captive while staying with relatives near the Gaza border. Doron's husband, Yoni, saw a video of his wife and daughters being loaded on to a truck with other hostages.
Yoni Asher embraces his wife Doron and their daughter Raz, four, and Aviv, two, after their release
"I am determined to bring about the resurrection of my family from the trauma and the terrible bereavement we went through," Mr Asher told the BBC following their release.
"I don't celebrate, I won't celebrate until the last of the kidnapped returns," he said.
"The families of the kidnapped are not posters, they are not slogans, they are real people, and the families of the kidnapped are from today my new family, and I will make sure and do everything that the last of the kidnapped comes home."
Avigail Idan turned four while she was a hostage
Israeli-American Avigail Idan was just three when she was taken hostage from her home at Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Her parents were attacked and killed, but she survived and walked to the home of her neighbours, the Brodutch family. She was then abducted along with Hagar Brodutch, 40, and her children Oria, 4, Yuval, 8, and Offri, 10. All four have now been released. Her father-in-law, Shmuel Brodutch, told Israel's Channel 13 News: "The moment I heard they were in the hands of the Red Cross, I was relieved."
Hagar Brodutch (centre) was being held along with her children Yuval, Offri and Oria
Ohad Munder-Zichri, 9, his mother, Keren Munder, 54, and his grandmother Ruthi Munder, 78, were kidnapped from Nir Oz. Ohad's ninth birthday took place while he was in Gaza. Another family member, Avraham Munder, is still being held hostage.
Ruthi Munder was released on 24 November
Itay Ravi, Avraham's nephew, told BBC Newsnight the release of some of his family members was "one step towards being happy" but that "it's still a very, very horrific reality that we're in".
Watch: Ohad Munder's emotional reunion with his dad
Noam Or, 17, and his sister Alma, 13, were released on 25 November. Their brother, Liam Or, 18, was released a few days later. They had been taken from their home in Be'eri, along with their father Dror Or, 48, who remains a hostage. The body of Yonat, 50 - Dror's wife and the children's mother - was identified among the 120 people killed at the kibbutz. Noam and Alma's uncle, Ahal Besorai, told the BBC that the siblings did not know their mother had been killed. "We had to bring the sad news to them," he said.
Noam (left) and Alma Orr (right) were released without their father Dror Or
Sisters Dafna, 15, and Ela Elyakim, 8, were taken from their home in Nir Oz on the day of the attack, and were part of a family group whose capture was live-streamed by the attackers. The girls' mother, Maayan Zin, said in a statement that she was happy her daughters had returned, adding that since they were kidnapped, she had been living "between despair and hope, between pain and optimism".
Maayan Zin with her daughters Dafna and Ela Elyakim
Chen Almog-Goldstein, 48, and her children Tal, 8, Gal, 11, and Agam, 17, were abducted from their homes in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on the day of the attack. Chen's husband, Nadav, and their 20-year-old daughter, Yam, were killed by Hamas.
Tamar Metzger, 78, has been freed but her husband Yoram - who has diabetes and broke his hip six months ago - remains in captivity.
Tamar Metzger is on multiple medications, her daughter-in-law said
Ditza Heiman, 84, is one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz and a former social worker. She is the widow of Zvi Shdaimah, who came to the UK on the Kindertransport, the organised rescue of children from Nazi-controlled areas during World War Two.
Ditza Heiman is one of of Kibbutz Nir Oz's founders
Ofelia Adit Roitman, 77, is a former head teacher who was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas.
Ofelia Adit Roitman was released on 28 November.
Ada Sagi, who turned 75 while in captivity, was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Ada Sagi turned 75 while being held hostage
Noralin "Nataly" Babadila - or Noralin Agojo in some reports - is 60, and had been visiting Kibbutz Nirim to celebrate the community's 70th anniversary when she was kidnapped by Hamas. Her partner, Gideon, was murdered that day.
Noralin "Nataly" Babadila was kidnapped while visiting Kibbutz Nirim
Hanna Katzir, 77, was abducted from Nir Oz, along with her son, Elad Katzir, 47. On 9 November she appeared in a hostage video released by Hamas.
Channah Peri, 79, was taken hostage along with her son Nadav Popplewell, 51. Channah emigrated to Israel in the 1960s from South Africa and has three children.
Channah Peri was taken hostage along with her son Nadav
Dr Shoshan Haran, 67, was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Be'eri, on 7 October. She is the founder of a not-for-profit organisation to help feed those in poverty and has a PhD in agronomy. She was released along with her daughter Adi Shoham, 38, and her children, Nave, eight, and Yahel, three. Dr Haran's husband, Avshalom - an economist and dual German-Israeli citizen - was killed in the Hamas attack, while Adi's husband, Tal, 38, remains in captivity.
Also released were Sharon Avigdori, 52, a drama therapist, and her daughter Noam, 12, who are relatives of Dr Haran and were kidnapped from Be'eri at the same time. Family members Eviatar Kipnis, 65 and his wife Lilach Kipnis, 60, were killed in the attack, the family has said.
Yafa Adar is a mother of three, a grandmother of eight and a great-grandmother of seven
Yafa Adar, 85, was kidnapped from Nir Oz. She has three children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, the group speaking for families said. Yafa's grandson Tamir, 38, who defended the kibbutz as part of the Nir Oz emergency squad, was also taken to Gaza, the Times of Israel reported.
Shiri Weiss, 53 and her daughter Noga, 18, were taken from Be'eri, along with Shiri's husband Ilan Weiss, 58, who is Noga's father. Shiri is an accountant for the kibbutz's agricultural association.
Adrienne Aviva Seigel, 62, was taken from her home in Kfar Aza along with her 64-year-old husband Keith, his brother told the BBC. Keith is thought to be among the remaining hostages.
Margalit Mozes, 78, was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. A cancer survivor, her family say she has other health problems that require almost constant medical care.
Margalit Mozes was released on 24 November
Adina Moshe, 72, was kidnapped from Nir Oz. Her husband Said Moshe was killed in the attack, according to a group that has been speaking on behalf of many hostages and their families. Afterwards, she was identified by her family in a video clip showing her wedged between two Hamas fighters on a motorbike.
Adina Moshe was seen in a video clip after her kidnap
After her release, Elma Avraham, 84, was airlifted to Soroka hospital in Beersheba in a serious condition. She had lived at Kibbutz Nahal Oz for nearly 50 years before she was kidnapped, a spokesman for the community said.
Hostages previously freed
Who are the released hostages?
Prior to the deal struck between Israel and Hamas, four hostages were released, and another was freed by Israeli forces:
Two Americans - Judith Raanan and her daughter Natalie Raanan - were released on Friday 20 October
Two elderly women - Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifschitz - were freed on Monday 23 October
An Israeli soldier - Ori Megidish - was freed during ground operations in Gaza on 29 October
Foreign nationals
Twenty foreign workers have been released during the ceasefire. Nineteen of these are from Thailand.
Boonthom Pankhong, 39, and his girlfriend, Natthawaree Mulakan, were released by Hamas on 24 November. Boonthom's sister Urai Chantachart told BBC Thai that the family was "overjoyed". "Our family has been suffering for over a month, but we never thought he was dead. We strongly believed that he [was] still alive," she said. She added he had been working in Israel for five years when he was kidnapped, and was the family's main breadwinner.
It was initially feared Wichai Kalapat was among the Thai nationals killed in the Hamas raid until his girlfriend received word that he was being held hostage in Gaza. She told the BBC she was "so happy" because she did not think he would be among those who were released.
Seven other hostages were also released on the same day. Their names are Uthai Thunsri, Buddee Saengboon, Bancha Kongmanee, Withoon Phumee, Mongkhol Phajuabboon, Santi Boonphrom, and Uthai Sangnuan.
Natthaphon Onkaew, Khomkrit Chombua were among the four Thai nationals released on 25 November, according to the country's prime minister, Srettha Thavisin.
Anucha Angkaew was also freed. His wife, Wanida Maarsa, told BBC Thai that her husband, who had been working on an avocado farm for almost two years, was one of those taken captive by Hamas militants.
The fourth person released was Manee Jirachat, who travelled to Israel for work four years ago. He was seized by Hamas along with five other workers who had taken cover together, according to a Thai TV interview with his father, who had spoken to survivors.
It was announced on 26 November that Wichian Temthong, Surin Kesungnoen and Phonsawan Pinakalo had been freed.
Two more Thai hostages were released on Tuesday 28 November - O-wat Suriyasri and Pattanayuth Tonsokri - and four were released the next day. Their names are Piboon Rattanil, Kong Saelao, Jakrapan Sikena and Chalermchai Sangkaew.
Gelienor "Jimmy" Leano Pacheco, 33, from the Philippines, was also released as part of the same deal. The father of three had been working in Israel as a caregiver to 80-year-old Amita Ben Zvi, who was killed in the attack on Nir Oz.
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- Published7 October
