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. The two civilians were released during the January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire, the body of one of the soldiers was recovered during a military operation a few hours before the ceasefire went into effect, and the body of the second soldier were returned by Hamas on 9 November 2025 as part of the Gaza peace plan.
Name Age when kidnapped Nationality Kidnapped from Status Date Crossed Gaza–Israel barrier on 20 April 2015 Released Crossed Gaza–Israel barrier on 7 September 2014 Released Killed on during the 2014 Gaza War Returned Killed on during the 2014 Gaza war Recovered
Hostages kidnapped to the Gaza Strip Survived The following are hostages who were released or rescued alive (ordered by most recent return):
Name Age when kidnapped Nationality Kidnapped from Status Date 20 Nahal Oz attack Released 26 Kfar Aza massacre Released 26 Kfar Aza massacre Released 34 Nova music festival Released 19 Nova music festival Released 19 Near Kibbutz Nirim Released 26 Nir Oz attack Released 33 Nir Oz attack Released 22 Nova music festival Released 22 Nova music festival Released 35 Nova music festival Released 37 His brother's home in Nir Oz Released 25 Nova music festival Released 21 Nova music festival Released 46 Nahal Oz attack Released 23 Nova music festival Released 23 Nova music festival Released 22 Nova music festival Released 30 Nova music festival Released 23 Nir Oz attack Released 19 Kissufim massacre Released Eliya Cohen 26 Nova music festival Released 20 Nova music festival Released 38 Be'eri massacre Released 22 Nova music festival Released 35 Nir Oz Released 45 Nir Oz Released 27 Nir Oz Released 54 Be'eri massacre Released 33 Nova music festival Released 51 Be'eri massacre Released 33 Nir Oz attack Released 52 Nir Oz attack Released 64 Kfar Aza massacre Released 19 Nahal Oz attack Released 79 Nir Oz Released Yesha Released 27 Yesha Released 32 Nir Oz Released 34 Nir Oz Released 35 Yesha Released Arbel Yehud28 Nir Oz attack Released 18 Nahal Oz attack Released 19 Nahal Oz attack Released 19 Nahal Oz attack Released 19 Nahal Oz attack Released 27 Kfar Aza massacre Released 23 Nova music festival Released 30 Kfar Aza massacre Released 51 Magen, Israel Rescued 25 Nova music festival Rescued 27 Nova music festival Rescued 21 Nova music festival Rescued 40 Nova music festival Rescued 70 Clara Marman's home in Nir Yitzhak Rescued 60 Clara Marman's home in Nir Yitzhak Rescued 17 Holit Released 18 Holit Released 29 Nir Oz Released 29 Nir Oz Released 30 Nir Oz Released 41 Nir Oz Released 21 Nova music festival Released 40 Kfar Aza massacre Released 49 Nir Oz attack Released 56 Be'eri Released 17 Be'eri Released 18 Re'im Released 42 Released 18 Nova music festival Released 35 Be'eri massacre Released 54 Be'eri massacre Released 26 Khirbet Mador Released Alumim massacre Released Alumim massacre Released 15 Be'eri massacre Released 13 Be'eri massacre Released 73 Nir Oz attack Released 50 Nir Oz attack Released 40 Nova music festival Released 60 Nirim Released 84 Nir Oz attack Released 36 Nirim attack Released 59 Nir Yitzhak attack Released 17 Nir Yitzhak attack Released 62 Nir Yitzhak attack Released 78 Nir Oz attack Released 77 Nir Oz attack Released 74 Nir Oz attack Released 40 Released 54 Nir Oz attack Released Released 3 Nir Oz attack Released 3 Nir Oz attack Released 34 Nir Oz attack Released 18 Nir Oz attack Released 11 Nir Oz attack Released 51 Nir Oz attack Released 11 Nir Oz attack Released 16 Nir Oz attack Released 16 Nir Oz attack Released 12 Nir Oz attack Released 12 Nir Oz Released 84 Nahal Oz attack Released 40 Kfar Aza massacre Released 9 Kfar Aza massacre Released 4 Kfar Aza massacre Released 9 Kfar Aza massacre Released 15 Nahal Oz attack Released 8 Nahal Oz attack Released 17 Kfar Aza massacre Released 11 Kfar Aza massacre Released 9 Kfar Aza massacre Released 48 Kfar Aza massacre Released 3 Kfar Aza massacre Released Released 25 Nova music festival Released 30 Alumim massacre Released 62 Kfar Aza massacre Released 37 Kfar Aza massacre Released 28 Re'im Released 12 Be'eri massacre Released 52 Be'eri massacre Released 29 Re'im Released 29 Re'im Released 8 Be'eri massacre Released 67 Be'eri massacre Released 26 Re'im Released 13 Be'eri massacre Released 17 Be'eri massacre Released 21 Nova music festival Released 12 Be'eri massacre Released 38 Be'eri massacre Released 8 Be'eri massacre Released 3 Be'eri massacre Released 18 Be'eri massacre Released 53 Be'eri massacre Released 85 Nir Oz attack Released 44 Nir Oz attack Released 5 Nir Oz attack Released Nir Oz attack Released 28 Nir Oz attack Released 2 Nir Oz attack Released 34 Nir Oz attack Released 4 Nir Oz attack Released 76 Nir Oz attack Released Nir Oz attack Released 35 Be'eri massacre Released Nir Oz attack Released 72 Nir Oz attack Released 54 Parents home in Nir Oz attack Released 8 Grandparents home in Nir Oz attack Released 78 Nir Oz attack Released 33 Nir Oz attack Released 79 Nirim attack Released Nir Oz attack Released 45 Nir Oz attack Released 33 Nir Oz attack Released Nir Oz attack Released Nir Oz attack Released Nir Oz attack Released Nahal Oz attack Rescued 79 Nir Oz attack Released 85 Nir Oz attack Released 59 Nahal Oz attack Released 17 Nahal Oz attack Released
Deceased The following are hostages whose bodies were recovered by the IDF (48), returned by Hamas (34), or retrieved during a failed military operation (3):
Name Birthdate andAge when kidnapped Nationality Kidnapped from Status Date Death date Alumim massacre Recovered Be'eri massacre Returned Be'eri massacre Returned Be'eri massacre Returned Nir Yitzhak attack Returned Nahal Oz attack Returned Nahal Oz attack Returned Near Kibbutz Nirim Returned Killed during Nirim attack Returned Near Kibbutz Nirim Returned Be'eri massacre Returned Nir Oz attack Returned Before Nir Oz attack Returned Nir Oz attack Returned Nir Yitzhak attack Returned Nir Oz attack Returned Be'eri massacre Returned Nir Oz Returned Returned Nova music festival Returned Near Erez Crossing Returned Nova music festival Returned Be'eri massacre Returned Nova music festival Returned Before Alumim massacre Returned Late 2023 Nahal Oz attack Returned Be'eri massacre Returned Nova music festival Recovered Be'eri massacre Recovered Be'eri massacre Recovered Nahal Oz attack Recovered Nova music festival Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nattapong Pinta Nir Oz attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Returned Before Nahal Oz attack Returned Kissufim massacre Returned Nir Oz attack Returned Nir Oz attack Returned Nir Oz attack Returned 18 January 2023 (9 months) Nir Oz attack Returned Nir Oz attack Returned Working on farm during Holit attack Recovered Before Working on farm during Holit attack Recovered Before Be'eri massacre Recovered Nova music festival Recovered or Her sister's home in Be'eri Recovered or Nova music festival Recovered or Nova music festival Recovered or Nova music festival Recovered or Nova music festival Recovered or Near Kibbutz Nirim Recovered Nirim attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nirim attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nirim attack Recovered Nirim attack Recovered Nir Yitzhak attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Nova music festival massacre Recovered Mefalsim Recovered Nova music festival Recovered Killed while riding bicycle Recovered Nova music festival Recovered Nova music festival Recovered Nova music festival Recovered Nir Oz attack Recovered Kfar Aza massacre Retrieved Kfar Aza massacre Retrieved Nir Am Retrieved Near Erez Crossing Recovered Near Erez Crossing Recovered Nova music festival Recovered Mefalsim Recovered Nova music festival Recovered Nova music festival Recovered Before Nahal Oz attack Recovered Before Be'eri massacre Recovered
Hostages held in Israel
There were two hostage standoff situations inside Israel on the day of the October 7 attacks: one in Ofakim at the home of Rachel Edry, and one in Be'eri at the home of Pessi Cohen. At a third scene, the Sderot police station, police officers and civilians escaped to the building's roof, where they were rescued without incident. The Hamas militants remained holed up in the station until they were neutralized.
The hostage takers at Pessi Cohen's home in Be'eri demanded safe passage to Gaza for themselves and their hostages. Survived Name Age when kidnapped Nationality Venue of hostage standoff Status Date her home in Ofakim Rescued his home in Ofakim Rescued escaped from the Nova music festival, found shelter at the home of Hadas Dagan in Be'eri where she was kidnapped and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home Released by one of the hostage takers who surrendered kidnapped from her home in Be'eri and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home Rescued
Deceased Name Age when kidnapped Nationality Venue of hostage standoff Date 68 kidnapped from his home in Be'eri and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home escaped from the Nova music festival, found shelter at the home of Adi Dagan in Be'eri where he was kidnapped and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home 68 her home in Be'eri 76 his sister-in-law's home in Be'eri 73 her sister's home in Be'eri 49 his aunt's home in Be'eri 22 / kidnapped from the Nova music festival and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home in Be'eri 12 kidnapped from her home in Be'eri and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home 12 kidnapped from his home in Be'eri and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home kidnapped from her home in Be'eri and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home 78 kidnapped from her home in Be'eri and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home 72 kidnapped from his home in Be'eri and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home 70 kidnapped from her home in Be'eri and held hostage at Pessi Cohen's home
See also
Sexual and gender-based violence in the October 7 attacks
Notes
References
External links