Former Hostages Urge Release of Remaining 48 Held in Gaza War

Two years after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, 48 hostages taken during the assault remain unrecovered, with around 20 believed to be alive. Former hostages like Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi have shared harrowing accounts of captivity in Gaza, describing dire conditions including confinement in tunnels, scarce food, and poor sanitation. Despite some hostages being freed through ceasefires and negotiations, families and survivors continue to seek closure, with many mourning lost loved ones who perished during the attack. Israeli authorities acknowledge that some civilians were accidentally killed by Israeli forces amid the chaos of the initial assault, and the military has admitted to mistakenly killing three hostages in December 2023. Public pressure within Israel mounts on Prime Minister Netanyahu's government to end the war and secure the release of remaining captives, as mass protests call for ceasefires and hostage exchanges. The ongoing conflict has caused immense loss and suffering on both sides, with the war's toll including more than 67,000 Palestinian fatalities in Gaza according to local health authorities.