List of Gaza war hostages
Wikimedia list article
Prior to the Gaza war breaking out on October 7, 2023, there were four Israeli citizens held hostage in the Gaza Strip: two of whom were alive, and two were dead. During the October 7 attacks that started the Gaza war, 251 additional people were kidnapped and taken hostage to the Gaza Strip, most of whom were Israeli citizens. A total of 168 hostages were returned alive: eight were rescued, five were released outside of ceasefires, and the rest were released in ceasefires during the Gaza war.
The last twenty living hostages were released on October 13, 2025 as part of the Gaza peace plan. The body of the last remaining hostage held in Gaza, Ran Gvili, was recovered on January 26, 2026.
In addition to the hostages kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, there were two hostage standoff situations inside Israel during the October 7 attacks, with a third attempt at a standoff thwarted when the victims managed to escape to the roof, where they were rescued. Both hostage situations were resolved in less than 24 hours. Of the seventeen people who were held hostage inside Israel, only four survived.
Hostages held prior to the October 7 attacks
Four hostages were held in the Gaza Strip prior to the October 7 attacks: two IDF soldiers killed during the 2014 Gaza War, whose bodies were captured by Hamas; and two Israeli civilians abducted in 2014 and 2015 respectively, after wandering into the Gaza Strip. Israel wanted their inclusion in a unified hostage deal, along with the hostages taken in the October 7 attacks.
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