A look at the hostages taken to Gaza, by the numbers | iNFOnews.ca
Hands paste a heart-shaped sticker onto a banner with pictures of Israeli hostages during a a gathering at a plaza known as hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

A look at the hostages taken to Gaza, by the numbers

Israelis on Monday celebrated the return of the last 20 living hostages who were held in Gaza with the first stage of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Hamas has also released the bodies of eight hostages in the past two days.

Meanwhile, Palestinians rejoiced at Israel’s release of some 2,000 prisoners and detainees as part of the ceasefire’s first phase.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. The ensuing war has killed more than 67,600 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Here are details on the hostages:

Total hostages captured during Oct. 7 attack: 251

Hostages taken before the Oct. 7 attack: four (two who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015 and the bodies of two soldiers killed in the 2014 war)

Living hostages released in exchanges or other deals: 160

Bodies of hostages released in deals: 16

Bodies of hostages retrieved by Israeli forces: 51

Hostages rescued alive: eight

Bodies of hostages still in captivity: 20

Non-Israeli hostages in captivity: three (two Thai nationals and one Tanzanian who have been confirmed dead)

___

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

A look at the hostages taken to Gaza, by the numbers | iNFOnews.ca
Freed Israeli hostage Avinatan Or gestures from a van as he arrives at Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva, Israel, after he was released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Stripl, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
A look at the hostages taken to Gaza, by the numbers | iNFOnews.ca
Ziv Berman, an Israeli hostage released from the Gaza Strip gestures from the window of a helicopter landing at the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A look at the hostages taken to Gaza, by the numbers | iNFOnews.ca
A woman with an Israeli flag draped over her body, sleeps on a bench in “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles