Israeli Hostage Latest: What's Happening With Hamas' Captives Right Now

The U.S. has been engaging with Middle Eastern leaders over the past week as prospects grow for at least a partial hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.

Multiple sources are suggesting a deal may be imminent to release dozens of the 240 people taken by Hamas militants following the October 7 attacks in Israel. On November 2, Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari added to that number, saying at a press conference that it had notified "242 hostages' families."

In recent days, the U.S. has been less specific about the figure. At a State Department briefing on November 16, spokesperson Matthew Miller said he did not have a precise number.

In an opinion piece for The Washington Post on November 18, President Joe Biden wrote there were "more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas, including babies and Americans." This less specific estimate has also been mentioned in a House resolution on November 15 and by multiple members of Congress over the past five days.

Newsweek has reached out to a White House media representative via email for comment.

Who Are the American Hostages?

The U.S. government has not released a formal list naming U.S. hostages, but the names of several Americans have been mentioned by media and Congress members.

On November 14, NBC News said it had spoken to multiple family members of U.S. hostages, including 3-year-old Abigail Mor Idan. Abigail's kidnapping was discussed at length by Florida Democratic Representative Lois Frankel at a press conference on Monday.

NBC also named Edan Alexander, a 19-year-old from New Jersey, who had volunteered to serve with the Israel Defense Forces. Alexander was named in a press release by New Jersey Democratic Representative Josh Gottheimer, who spoke with his parents in October.

The parents of 21-year-old Omer Neutra from New York spoke to NBC and, according to a press release, met New York Governor Kathy Hochul at a rally in October.

On October 16, Ohio Republican Representative Max Miller called for a moment of silence for "U.S. citizens who were kidnapped," naming Aviva Siegel, Keith Samuel Siegel, Itay Chen, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

The families of Keith and Aviva Siegel, 62 and 64, respectively, were interviewed by NBC, as were the families of 19-year-old Itay Chen and 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The father of Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, spoke with PBS News Hour on November 15.

Chen Goldshtein Almog and her three children, Agam, 17, Gal, 11, and Tal, 9, were named in a list of American hostages published by The Daily Beast in October. While their names have not appeared in statements by the U.S. government or politicians, the Los Angeles Times said it had spoken with family in the U.S. Chen's husband Nadav, 49, and daughter, Yam, 20, were killed in the October 7 attacks.

When asked on Monday how many U.S. citizens might be released in a negotiation in which women and children are let go first, White House spokesperson John Kirby said he did not want to "speculate about what that pool is going to look like."

"Obviously, we are laser-focused on the American citizens that we know are being held hostage, and we want them out," Kirby added.

"All of them—everybody should be out now. But here we are in a negotiation. And we're getting closer to the end, we believe, of that negotiation. So, again, I'm—I'm going to be careful."

Who Has Been Freed So Far?

Two American hostages were released in late October: Natalie and Judith Raanan of Evanston, Illinois, were held for two weeks. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said in a press release celebrating their return that the pair had been visiting family in Israel when they were abducted.

"After being held against their will for nearly two weeks, they are now safe and receiving necessary medical treatment," Pritzker said. "I cannot wait to welcome them back home after demonstrating immense strength and bravery in the face of unthinkable terror."

Their release was celebrated by multiple Illinois representatives and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, among others.

Around the same time, two Israeli women, Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, were released.

On October 30, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that its military and security forces had rescued IDF field observer PVT Ori Megidish.

Who Is Known to Have Died?

Asked on Monday's press briefing whether the White House was confident potential American hostages were still alive, Kirby said it had "no indication otherwise."

However, two weeks ago, Hamas' armed wing spokesperson, Abu Obaida, said that 60 hostages were missing following Israeli airstrikes. The claim was made without evidence and the figure has not been independently verified. Newsweek has reached out to the Israeli government for comment.

The death of Noa Marciano, a 19-year-old reservist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who was among the hostages taken by militants to Gaza, was confirmed this month.

A video released by Hamas showed her speaking while in captivity before images of her dead body were displayed. Hamas' military wing said she was killed by an Israeli airstrike. The IDF said she was murdered inside the Al-Shifa hospital.

Hamas recently released a video seemingly confirming the death of 86-year-old Arye Zalmanovich, who was kidnapped from his home on October 7. The Israeli military told Newsweek on November 16 that another hostage, 65-year-old Yehudit Weiss, had been found dead near Al-Shifa hospital.

The Tanzanian government confirmed the death of Clemence Felix Mtenga, 22, one of two from that nation kidnapped on October 7.

Have Israel and Hamas Struck a Deal?

Last week, Obaida said Hamas was willing to trade 70 women and children in exchange for a five-day cease-fire and allowing humanitarian aid. He added that Israel was "procrastinating and evading the offer."

However, on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said: "We are currently advancing. I do not think that it is necessary to belabor the point, not even now, but I hope there will be good news soon."

Netanyahu added that his government's first goal was to eliminate Hamas. No further information was shared about the scope of the negotiations.

His office said Netanyahu would convene his war cabinet, security cabinet and government late on Tuesday "in light of developments on the issue of the release of our hostages."

In a statement to Reuters sent by his aide, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said it was "close to reaching a truce agreement."

Reuters also reported that according to a U.S. source close to the deal, it would involve the release of about 50 civilian hostages held by Hamas, minor-aged Palestinian detainees from Israeli custody, and a multiday pause in fighting.

In a press briefing on Monday, Kirby added that the White House was doing "everything we can to help get the hostages that Hamas took," including U.S. citizens in that group. Kirby provided no further details of the negotiation or other efforts, only that the White House was confident "we're closer than we've ever been."

Kirby added that Israel had begun daily, seven-hour humanitarian pauses, to allow people from the north of the Gaza Strip through "a couple of safe corridors to the south." He added that to ensure the safe release of hostages, there would need to be "at least a temporary localized stop in the fighting to allow them to move."

Asked why hostage families say they have been unable to access information such as proof of life or living conditions, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggested Hamas could be "holding that kind of access up." While stating it was doing what it could to keep families informed, Jean-Pierre added that in some cases there was "a paucity" of information.

A press briefing by the State Department, also on Monday, provided no more details about the hostage deal, adding only that it had "made progress in trying to secure a deal" through conversation with Qatari leaders and in conversation with the Israeli government.

"I really can't get into details," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. "As we've said publicly for some time, really since October 7th and since we found out that there were hostages, including American citizens who were taken, unfortunately, we are doing everything in our power to secure the release of those hostages and see their safe return home. But it's just not productive to talk about the details."

A White House press conference is scheduled for Tuesday around lunchtime.