Published: 24 November 2023
Last updated: 5 March 2024
Almost 40 children are among about 240 hostages in Gaza but not all of them may be freed under the Hamas-Israel deal.
Children are the top priority in the deal to free Hamas hostages in exchange for a four-day ceasefire and up to 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The young hostages included a newborn baby, believed to be born in captivity to a Thai woman who was taken hostage, three-year-old twins, and a group of three siblings kidnapped with their mother while their father and sibling were murdered.
Hamas has agreed to release the children together with their mothers and eight older women in exchange for up to 240 Palestinian prisoners and a four-day ceasefire. The deal was announced on Tuesday and there are hopes the first children will be released on Friday, Israel time.
But not all children held in the Hamas-controlled territory are held by Hamas. An unknown number may be held hostage by other militant groups and will not be included in the deal.
The children believed to be held in Gaza are:
- Kfir Bibas, 10 months and Ariel Bibas, 4: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with their parents, Yarden and Shiri.
- Yuli and Emma Cunio, 3: Twins kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz with their parents, Sharon and David.
- Aviv Asher, 2, and Raz Asher, 4: Abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz with their mother, Doron Asher.
- Avigayil Idan, 3: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Her parents Roee and Smadar were murdered, her older siblings survived.
- Yahel, 3, and Naveh, 8, Shoham: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri along with their parents Adi and Tal and some extended family members.
- Ofri 10, Yuval 9, and Uriya Brodetz, 5: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, with their mother, Hagar. Neighbour Avigayil was abducted with them.
- Emilia Aloni, 5: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz with her mother, Danielle, who was seen in a Hamas propaganda video.
- Emily Hand, 9: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri. Her father initially thought she had been murdered, was later informed she was in Gaza.
- Ohad Mundar, 8: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, with his mother and his grandparents, while his uncle Roi was murdered.
- Hila Rotem, 12: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri, with her mother, Raya.
- Agam, 17, Gal, 11, and Tal, 9, Goldstein-Almog: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, with their mother, Chen Almog Goldstein, while their father, Nadav and sister Yam were murdered.
- Ella and Dafna Elyakim, 8 and 15: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, with their father, Noam and his girlfriend, Dikla, and Dikla’s son, Tomer. The bodies of Noam, Dikla and Tomer were later recovered near the border.
- Yagil, 12, and Or, 16, Yaakov: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Yagil, who has a severe allergy, was seen in a Palestinian Islamic Jihad propaganda video.
- Yuval Engel, 10: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz with his parents, Ronen and Karina, and sister Mika, 18.
- Amit Shani, 16: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri in front of his mother and two other siblings.
- Ofir Engel, 17: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri while visiting his girlfriend.
- Noam Avigdori, 12: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri with her mother, Sharon, and a number of extended family members.
- Eitan Yahalomi, 12: Abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz with his mother and two sisters. Mother and sisters escaped; father Ohad is missing.
- Sahar, 16 and Erez, 12, Calderon: Abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz with their father, Ofer.
- Aisha Zaidna, 17: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Holit with her father, Yosef Hamis Zaidna, and brothers Hamza and Belal.
- Mia Lemberg, 17: Abducted from Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak along with her mother, Gabriela Lemberg, and three family members they were visiting.
- Noam, 17, and Alma Or, 13: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri with their father, Dror, and their cousin, Liam Or, 18. Their mother, Yonat, was murdered.
- Gali Tarshansky, 13: Kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri after her brother, Lior, 15, was killed.
- Noga Weiss, 18: Abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri with her mother, Shiri Weiss. Father, Ilan Weiss, missing.
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The children believed held hostage in Gaza, many of whom could be freed in Hamas deal (Times of Israel)
Photo: The children and babies kidnapped on October 7 and held hostage by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. (Israel's official X account)