The return of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili, for burial in Israel, and his identification at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, marked the end of an era of captivity that began in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge and reached its darkest hour after the October 7 massacre in southern Israel.
After more than 400 weeks, no Israeli hostages remain in the hands of Hamas or other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip. These are the stories of the 255 hostages.
Hostages held since 2014
Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, a Golani Brigade soldier, was killed in combat between July 19 and 20, 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, when his armored personnel carrier was hit in the Shejaiya neighborhood. More than a decade later, his body was recovered and returned to Israel in a covert intelligence operation.
Lt. Hadar Goldin, a Givati Brigade officer, was killed less than a month later. His body was held by Hamas for more than 400 consecutive weeks and was returned to Israel as part of the final hostage deal.
After the war, on Sept. 7, 2014, Avera Mengistu crossed the Gaza border and was abducted by Hamas. He was held alive for more than a decade and released in February 2025. Several months later, Hisham al-Sayed, who crossed into Gaza while suffering from severe mental illness, was also released in the same deal.
The October 7 kidnappings
A total of 251 people were abducted from Israel to the Gaza Strip during Hamas’ terror attack on October 7.
They were taken alive by terrorists and Palestinian civilians, on foot or aboard cars, motorcycles and tractors, some of them stolen, and during battles fought to defend the communities along the Gaza border. Forty-four Israelis were kidnapped from the Nova music festival in the Re’im forest, and 207 Israelis and foreign nationals were abducted from kibbutzim, IDF bases where they were serving, and various combat zones across the Gaza border area.
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Israel Police convoy escorting Sergeant First Class Ran Gvili
(Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/ AFP)
Hostages released without a deal
Four women were released early on “humanitarian grounds”:
Natalie Raanan and Judith Raanan, an American mother and daughter from Chicago
Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz from Kibbutz Nir Oz
IDF rescue operations
Ori Megidish, an IDF surveillance soldier, was rescued from Gaza City on October 30, 2023
On Feb. 12, 2024, Fernando Marman and Luis Har were rescued from Rafah
On June 8, 2024, Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv were rescued from Nuseirat; Yamam officer Arnon Zamora was killed, and the operation was named in his honor
On Aug. 27, 2024, Qaid Farhan al-Qadi was rescued alone from a tunnel in Rafah
Footage from the moment of the abduction of Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or
The moment of Noa Argamani’s rescue
(Video: Border Police)
Bodies recovered during the war
Among those whose bodies were located and returned for burial:
Ilan Weiss, Idan Shtivi, Nattapong Pinta, Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, Yonatan Samerano, Ofra Keidar, Yehudit Weiss, Cpl. Noa Marciano, Ofir Tzarfati, Shani Louk, Itzik Gelerenter, Amit Buskila, Ron Binyamin, Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, Youssef al-Ziyadne and his son Hamza, Yagev Buchshtab, Cpl. Nik Beizer, Ron Sherman, Elia Toledano, Sgt. Kiril Brodski, Staff Sgt. Tomer Ahimas, Eden Zecharya, Ziv Dado, Oren Goldin, Maya Goren, Sgt. Shaked Dahan, Alex Dancyg, Yoram Metzger, Avraham Munder, Chaim Peri, Nadav Popplewell, Elad Katzir, Master Sgt. Ravid Katz, Itay Svirsky, Orion Hernandez, Yair Yaakov, Aviv Atzili, Gad Haggai and Judy Weinstein-Haggai.
Also returned were the bodies of Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz and Samer Talalka, who were mistakenly killed by IDF fire, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Uri Danino, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov and Almog Sarusi, who were executed in a tunnel in Rafah.
The first hostage deal (November 2023)
Eighty hostages were released alive in seven stages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. Among them:
Ruth Munder, Keren Munder and her son Ohad; Danielle Aloni and her daughter Emilia; Doron Katz-Asher and her daughters Raz and Aviv; Yaffa Adar; Adina Moshe; Margalit Moses; Hanna Katzir; Channah Peri; Sharon Avigdori and her daughter Noam; Liam Or; Emily Hand; Raya Rotem and her daughter Hila; Shiri Weiss and her daughter Noga; Shoshan Haran; Adi Shoham and her children Nave and Yahel; Hagar Brodetz and her children Ofri, Yuval and Oriya; Abigail Idan.
Additional releases included:
Maya Regev, Itay Regev, Dafna Elyakim, Ella Elyakim, Chen Goldstein-Almog and her children Agam, Gal and Tal; Elma Avraham; Aviva Siegel; Sharon Cunio and her twin daughters Emma and Yuli; Karina Engel and her daughters Mika and Yuval; Sahar and Erez Kalderon; Or and Yagil Yaakov; Meirav Tal; Ditza Heiman; Eitan Yahalomi; Tamar Metzger; Noralyn Babadilla; Ada Sagi; Rimon Kirsht; Ofelia Roitman; Gabriela Leimberg and her daughter Mia; Clara Marman; Raz Ben Ami; Yarden Roman-Gat; Liat Atzili; Moran Stella Yanai; Ofir Engel; Amit Shani; Gali Tarshansky; Yelena Trufanov; Irena Tatti; Ilana Gritzewsky; Bilal al-Ziyadne and his sister Aisha; Amit Soussana; Sapir Cohen; Mia Schem; Shani Goren; Nili Margalit.
Dozens of Thai nationals and Filipino citizen Jimmy Pacheco were also released.
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The emotional reunion of four IDF lookouts with their comrade Agam Berger
(Photo: IDF )
The second hostage deal
More than a year later, a second deal led to the release of the remaining living hostages, including:
Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, Ohad Ben Ami, Yarden Bibas, Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Yair Horn, Omer Wenkert, Alexander Trufanov, Eliya Cohen, Or Levy, Gadi Moses, Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Eli Sharabi, Arbel Yehud, Sathian Suwannakham, Pongsak Tanna, Bannawat Saethao, Watchara Sriaoun and Surasak Rumnao.
Also released were Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
Returned for burial were Shlomo Mansour, Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, Oded Lifshitz, Itzik Elgarat, Shiri Bibas and her children Ariel and Kfir.
The final releases
In May 2025, Hamas released Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli soldier, as a gesture to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Months later, the final deal led to the release of:
Bar Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Yosef Ohana, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Horn, Eitan Mor, twins Gali and Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Rom Braslavski, Ariel Cunio, David Cunio and Matan Angrest.
The bodies returned included:
Guy Iluz, Bipin Joshi, Yossi Sharabi, Capt. Daniel Perez, Staff Sgt. Tamir Nimrodi, Uriel Baruch, Eitan Levy, Inbar Haiman, Muhammad El-Atrash, Eliyahu Margalit, Ronen Engel, Tal Haimi, Aryeh Zalmanovich, Tamir Adar, Sahar Baruch, Amiram Cooper, Col. Asaf Hamami, Capt. Omer Neutra, Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel, Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, Joshua Luito Mollel, Lior Rudaeff, Meni Godard, Dror Or, Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak.
With the return of Ran Gvili, the final hostage held in Gaza, Israel closed a painful chapter spanning more than a decade, from 2014 through war, loss, rescue and return.