Hamas hostages: Who are the people taken from Israel?

Hamas hostages: Who are the people taken from Israel?
News Desk

By News Desk


Published: 10/10/2023

Up to 150 people were taken captive when Hamas launched its surprise attack on 8 October, Israel said. Hamas has said it has hidden them in "safe places and tunnels" within Gaza, and threatened to kill hostages if civilian homes are bombed by Israel without warning.

Shiri, Yarden, Ariel and Kfir Bibas are believed to have been abducted from the kibbutz in southern Israel where they lived and where Shiri was a kindergarten teacher. Shiri was pictured holding Ariel, aged 3, and 9-month-old Kfir, surrounded by Hamas militants.

Yossi and Margit Silberman, Shiri's parents, are also missing and thought to have been captured.

Doron, Raz and Aviv Asher were taken captive while staying with relatives near the Gaza border. Husband Yoni saw a video of his wife and daughters, aged 5 and 3, being loaded onto a truck with other hostages. He also traced her mobile phone to Gaza.

Carmella and Noya Dan with Ofer, Erez and Safar Kalderon were taken prisoner in Nir Oz, a kibbutz next to Gaza where they lived. A video on social media appeared to show 12-year-old Erez being taken by gunmen into Gaza, their relative Ido Dan told the OceanNewsUK, who said he also feared for the health of 80-year-old Carmella without her medication.

Ada Sagi is believed to have been abducted from her home in Nir Oz, about 400m from the border with Gaza. Her son, Noam, said Israeli soldiers found bloodstains but no sign of his mother and she was not among those killed or injured in the small community.

The parents of Sharone Lifschitz - a London-based artist, who asked for them not to be identified for fear of reprisals - are also believed to have been taken hostage from Nir Oz. Ms Lifschitz said her father speaks Arabic and spent his time in retirement driving Palestinians who needed medical treatment to hospital.

Shani Louk, a tourist from Germany, had been attending a festival near the Gaza border when Hamas militants stormed the area, opening fire and sending terrified partygoers fleeing through the desert. Her mother, Ricarda, said she had seen a video of Shani after she was taken and later said she had information that Shani was in a critical condition in Gaza following a head injury.

Noa Argamani, a Chinese-born Israeli citizen, was also kidnapped from the festival. Video footage - verified by her father Yaakov Argamani to Israel's Channel 12 - shows the 25-year-old being taken away on the back of a militant's motorbike screaming, "Don't kill me!"

Yaffa Adar, 85, was kidnapped from a kibbutz close to the border with Gaza. Her granddaughter Adva found a video of her being taken to Gaza, surrounded by four armed men.

Anucha Angkaew, who had been working on an avocado farm for almost two years, is one of 11 Thai nationals missing after the attacks. His wife, Wanida Maarsa, told OceanNewsUK  Thai she identified him from a video published by Hamas.

Pongsathorn, Komkrit Chombua, Kiattisak Patee, Manee Jirachart, Nuttaporn Ornkaew, Boonthom Pankong and Sasiwan Pankong were also named by the Thai Foreign Ministry as among the 11 Thai nationals taken hostage.

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