Number of confirmed Israeli hostages rises to 203
The Israel Defence Forces raised the number of confirmed hostages held in Gaza to 203.
At an Oct. 17, 2023 press conference in Tel Aviv, Keren Shem holds a photo of her daughter, Miya, who is being held hostage in Gaza. Hamas released a video of Miya Shem the day before. Photo by Gideon Markowicz/TPS
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the families have been notified and stressed that the number will likely rise as the military gets new information.
Hagari noted that some notifications were made with high confidence while others were made with moderate to low confidence. Other families of missing Israelis have been told their loved ones are not being held hostage.
Nearly two weeks after Hamas’s attack on border communities, many missing Israelis still have not been accounted for. The IDF is continuing to search for missing Israelis near the Gaza border, and forensic experts are working around the clock to identify bodies. More than 1,400 Israelis were killed and over 4,600 more injured in the attacks.
Families of the captives were angered at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approval of humanitarian aid deliveries of water, food and medicine to Gaza through Egypt without receiving any concessions.
“The decision to allow humanitarian aid to the murderers of Gaza has caused great anger among the family members,” said the Bring Them Home Now organization in a statement. The organization represents the families of the captives.
“We remind you that children, babies, women, soldiers, men and the elderly — some of whom have serious health issues, are wounded and shot — are being held underground like animals without any human conditions, and the government of Israel is treating the murderers to baklava and medicine,” its statement said.
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is primarily for the passage of people. Commercial deliveries to Gaza are usually brought through the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is adjacent to the Gaza and Egyptian borders. Israel has closed Kerem Shalom for security reasons.
Israel has been striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip since an October 7 assault by Hamas on Israeli communities near the Gaza border that caught Israelis off-guard. Fighting raged for days as the IDF initially struggled to clear out the terrorists. More than 1,400 Israelis were killed and over 4,100 more injured.
