Israeli Hostages Released by Hamas | BBC News

Nov 24, 2023 | Twenty-four hostages have been released by Hamas and are now back in Israel. Among them are 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and one Filipino, says Qatar, which has been mediating negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

The Israelis include four children - aged two, four, six and nine - as well as an 85-year-old woman.

Palestinian women and teenagers held by Israel have also been released to the West Bank as part of the deal.

Israel-Hamas War: Two US Hostages Released by Hamas | DW News

Oct 20, 2023 | Hamas said that its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, had released two American hostages who had been held by the group after the terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7.

The news was initially confirmed by Israel's Channel 13 News and public broadcaster Kan.

The release of the hostages, Judith and Natalie Raanan, was confirmed via statement by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.

"In response to Qatari efforts, (the Qassam) Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) for humanitarian reasons," Hamas said in a statement posted on Telegram.

The Islamist group did not provide any additional information as to where the hostages were released. Israel's government estimates that roughly 200 people are being held by Hamas in Gaza, of which at least 10 are believed to be American nationals.

Hamas is categorized as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, Germany and a number of other countries.


Hamas Releases 2 American Hostages: A 59-year-old woman and her teenage daughter, dual citizens from Illinois, were being reunited with family members on an Israeli military base, Israeli officials said. The two were kidnapped on Oct. 7, along with roughly 200 other people. »

Hamas Threatens to Execute Hostages | #shorts

Hamas issues a warning of executions.

Japan PM Left 'Speechless' After Video Claims Hostage Dead

FOX NEWS: Japan's prime minister said Sunday he was "speechless" after an online video purportedly showed an Islamic State militant killing one of the two Japanese hostages.

Shinzo Abe told Japanese broadcaster NHK the government is still reviewing the video, but it was likely authentic. Abe offered his condolences to the family and friends of 42-year-old Haruna Yukawa, who was taken hostage in Syria last year.

Abe did not comment about the message in the latest video that demanded a prisoner exchange for the other hostage, journalist Kenji Goto.

"I am left speechless," he said, stressing he wants Goto released unharmed. "We strongly and totally criticize such acts." (+ FoxNews video) » | FoxNews.com | Saturday, January 24, 2015

Luke Somers: Yemen Hostage's Family in Video Appeal

The journalist was abducted in Yemen in September 2013

BBC: The family of UK-born American hostage Luke Somers have appealed in a video to al-Qaeda militants in Yemen to "show mercy" and release him.

In the online statement, his mother, Paula Somers, says: "Please... give us an opportunity to see our Luke again."

A man identifying himself as Mr Somers, who was abducted in 2013, appeared in a separate video on Wednesday, saying his life was in danger and asking for help.

The US has revealed it tried to rescue him last month.

"Regrettably, Luke was not present, though hostages of other nationalities were present and were rescued," the National Security Council said on Thursday.

In a video posted on YouTube, Mr Somers' mother and brother said he was "only trying to do good things for the Yemeni population".

"Luke is only a photojournalist and is not responsible for any actions the US government has taken," his brother, Jordan, said.

Noting that her son "appears healthy" in his captors' video, Paula Somers said: "We thank you for that." (+ video) » | Friday, December 05, 2014

Former ISIS Hostage: French Journalist Nicolas Henin

Read the Mail Online article here | Friday, October 17, 2014

Islamist Rebels Hold Nuns Hostage in Syria

Islamist fighters in Syria are believed to be holding a group of nuns hostage. Abducted from an Orthodox Monastery near Damascus they have reportedly been moved to the rebel-controlled town of Yabroud. The Pope has called for prayers for the kidnapped women, amid demands from clerics and religious organizations to release them. RT's Middle East correspondent Paula Slier is following the story.

Video of 'French Citizens Kidnapped in Cameroon' Released
A video uploaded to Youtube on Monday purports to show seven French citizens who were kidnapped near the border of Nigeria and Cameroon on Tuesday. A male member of the French family reads a short statement into camera before a second man, claiming to be one of the kidnappers, makes hostage demands. It is thought jihadist group Boko Haram seized the party as retaliation for France's military intervention in Mali. This video has not been independently verified | Source: Reuters | Monday, February 25, 2013

Deaths Confirmed in Algeria Hostage Rescue Bid
An Algerian military raid to free hostages at a desert gas plant is over, according to state media. Multiple fatalities have been reported, but it's still unclear exactly how many people were killed. Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan reports.

Sahara Hostage Holders Make New Threat

REUTERS.COM: (Reuters) - At least 18 foreign hostages were unaccounted for on Friday and their al-Qaeda-linked captors threatened to attack other energy installations after Algerian forces stormed a desert gas complex to free hundreds of captives, resulting in dozens of deaths.

With Western leaders clamoring for details of a raid they said Algeria had launched on Thursday without consulting them, a local source said the sprawling compound was still surrounded by Algerian special forces and some hostages remained inside.

Thirty hostages, including several Westerners, were killed during the assault, the source said, along with at least 18 of their captors, who said they had taken the site as retaliation for French intervention against Islamists in neighboring Mali.

The crisis represents a serious escalation of unrest in northwestern Africa, where French forces have been in Mali since last week fighting an Islamist takeover of Timbuktu and other towns in the north, and could devastate OPEC member Algeria's oil industry, just as it recovers from a civil war in the 1990s.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the Algerian government had told him its operation was still going on at mid-morning on Friday. "The death of several hostages is appalling," he told journalists.

Two Japanese, two Britons and a French national were among at least seven foreigners killed, the Algerian source said.

Ten Japanese were among those still unaccounted for on Friday, their Japanese employer said, while Norwegian energy company Statoil, which runs the Tigantourine gas field with Britain's BP and Algeria's national oil company, said eight Norwegian employees were still missing.

Some British workers also appeared to be unaccounted for, though Prime Minister David Cameron said only that fewer than 30 Britons were still at risk as the operation continued.

Washington has said a number of Americans were among the hostages, without giving details, and the local source said a U.S. aircraft landed nearby on Friday to evacuate Americans. » | Lamine Chikhi, ALGIERS | Additional reporting by Ali Abdelatti in Cairo, Eamonn Mallie in Belfast, Gwladys Fouche in Oslo, Mohammed Abbas in London and Padraic Halpin and Conor Humprhies in Dublin; Writing by Philippa Fletcher; Editing by Alastair Macdonald | Friday, January 18, 2013

Hostages in Northern Mali in Plea for Help
Al Jazeera has obtained footage of Western nationals taken hostage in northern Mali last year. The three men are urging their governments to secure their release. Reports indicate that al-Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb is demanding the release of certain prisoners in return for freeing the hostages. Al Jazeera's Omar Al Saleh reports.

Video Emerges of British Banker Held by Al-Qaeda in Mali

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A video has emerged of a British banker who was taken hostage by al-Qaeda in Mali in November during a holiday motorbiking through Africa.

Stephen McGown, 37, and a fellow Swedish hostage are shown backed by four heavily-armed men, and hold brown envelopes with letters inside and the date 28.01.2012 written on them.

He speaks briefly, saying: "My name is Stephen Malcolm McGown. I am being held by al-Qaeda. Today I received this letter from my country. I am healthy and they are treating me well."

Mr McGown, who has dual British-South African nationality, appears alongside another hostage, Johan Gustafsson, a Swedish national, and both men sport long beards.

The video, which appears to have been filmed in January, was posted on YouTube last week and constitutes the first proof that they are alive since an initial picture was taken of them shortly after they were snatched from a restaurant in Timbuktu, Mali, along with Dutch national Sjaak Rijke.

In April, an unverified statement on an Islamic website claimed Mr McGown would be released if Britain sent the radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada to an "Arab Spring" country rather than deporting him to Jordan, where he faces imprisonment over terrorist charges.

If Britain ignored the offer, the statement added, it would "bear the consequences". » | Aislinn Laing | Johannesburg | Thuesday, July 17, 2012

Toulouse Siege Over as Gunman Wounded and Hostages Freed
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A gunman holding up a bank in Toulouse has been wounded by police and the final hostages have been freed, according to reports.

Local reports said three gunshots were fired, the gunman was injured and the hostages were freed.

The assault began at 4.45pm local time after a second team of armed police arrived from Marseille and were seen outside.

The man, aged 26, named locally as "Boumaza", has been described as a “schizophrenic” by the local authorities but has told police that he is a member of al-Qaeda.

After one hostage was released this afternoon, the armed man spoke to his sister during negotiations with the police but continues to hold three hostage[s].

The gunman insisted that he was motivated by "religious motivations" and had not carried out his attack with the motive of robbery or money. » | Bruno Waterfield | Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Related »

Al-Qaeda: France Bank Incident: Hostages Held in Toulouse
BBC: Four people have been taken hostage in a bank in the southern French city of Toulouse by a man claiming to be linked to al-Qaeda, police say.

Officials say the gunman first demanded money. When he was refused, a shot was fired and hostages taken.

The man demanded to speak to the elite Raid police unit that shot Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah.

Merah, who claimed al-Qaeda training, killed seven people in Toulouse before he was shot dead by police in March.

There are no reports of injuries in the incident so far.

The area around the bank has been cordoned off and two nearby schools have been closed.

"We're taking measures so we can start a dialogue," said public prosecutor Michel Valet, at the scene. » | Wednesday, June 20, 2012

LE FIGARO: Prise d'otages dans une banque à Toulouse : Un individu qui se revendique d'al-Qaida retient quatre personnes depuis 10 heures ce matin, dans une succursale de la banque CIC. ¶ Un homme armé se revendiquant d'al-Qaida retient en otage mercredi quatre personnes dans une succursale de la banque CIC, avenue Camille Pujol, à Toulouse. Le directeur de l'établissement fait partie des captifs. » | Par lefigaro.fr, Gary Assouline, Jean-Marc Leclerc | mercredi 20 juin 2012

Pakistan: Schweizer Geiseln haben sich selbst befreit
Die in Pakistan verschleppten Schweizer sind frei. Dies hat das Eidgenössische Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten (EDA) bestätigt. Verwirrung herrscht darüber, wie sie frei gekommen sind. Das Paar gab an, sich nach über neun Monaten Geiselhaft selbst befreit zu haben. Über den Hergang der Flucht sind keine Details bekannt.

NINE MSN: Swiss hostages escape Pakistani Taliban: A Swiss couple escaped after being held captive by the Pakistani Taliban for more than eight months, Switzerland's foreign minister has said. ¶ Didier Burkhalter said no ransom was paid for policeman Olivier David Och, 31, and Daniela Widmer, 28, who were flown to the Pakistan capital Islamabad, smiling and waving to the cameras and apparently in good health. » | AFP | Friday, March 16, 2012

Verwandt »

Jimmy Carter Secures Release of US Hiker Aijalon Gomes from North Korea
THE TELEGRAPH: Former US president Jimmy Carter has secured the release of an American held in North Korea for nearly seven months after crossing the border from China on foot.



Aijalon Gomes, 31, left Pyongyang on a plane accompanied by Mr Carter, who had flown to the North Korean capital three days earlier on a private visit to negotiate the release.

The former president "courteously requested" a special pardon for Mr Gomes, which leader Kim Jong-il granted, North Korean state media said. Mr Gomes had been sentenced in April to eight years of hard labour and a hefty fine for trespassing and committing a "hostile act."

A committed Christian, Mr Gomes is thought to have travelled to the country on a one-man peace mission.

The[y] pair are due to arrive in Boston today to be reunited with Mr Gomes' mother and other family members.

In Washington, the State Department welcomed the news.

We "are relieved that he will soon be safely reunited with his family," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said. "We appreciate former President Carter's humanitarian effort and welcome North Korea's decision to grant Mr. Gomes special amnesty and allow him to return to the United States."

North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency said Carter's visit included cordial talks with Kim Yong Nam, North Korea's number two official, [sic]

Mr Kim relayed Pyongyang's interest in resuming the six-nation disarmament talks and reiterated the regime's commitment to denuclearisation, KCNA said.

However, Mr Carter does not appear to have met Kim Jong Il, who was making a surprise trip to China. A year ago, Kim sat down for talks and a photo with former US president Bill Clinton when he went to Pyongyang on a similar journey to negotiate the release of two American journalists. >>> | Friday, August 27, 2010

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Boston man set free in N. Korea: Carter intervenes to secure his release; former prisoner to return home today >>> Travis Andersen and Farah Stockman, Globe Staff | Friday, August 27, 2010

Verbunden >>>

Swiss President Defends Apology in Libya Dispute
ASSOCIATED PRESS: BERN, Switzerland — Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz defended his apology to Libya for the arrest of Moammar Gadhafi's son, saying Friday it was the only way to secure the release of two Swiss citizens detained by Tripoli.

The apology was heavily criticized in the Swiss media, but welcomed by companies eager to do business in the oil-rich North African country.

"My mission was to ensure that we can work through what happened in Geneva, to get the two Swiss out of Libya — that was my primary aim," Merz told reporters in the capital Bern.

Tripoli cut business and diplomatic ties with the Alpine nation after Hannibal Gadhafi and his wife were arrested July 15, 2008, in a Geneva luxury hotel for allegedly beating up two of their servants. The servants later withdrew their complaint after receiving compensation from an undisclosed source.

Four days after the arrest Libya also detained two employees of engineering company ABB Ltd. — Max Goeldi and Rachid Hamdani — for alleged breaches of immigration rules. Swiss media have described them as "hostages" that Tripoli was using to force an apology from Switzerland. >>> Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press | Friday, August 21, 2009

NZZ ONLINE:
Flugzeug nach Libyen unterwegs: Landung in Tripolis vor 18 Uhr zu erwarten>>> sda | Dienstag, 25. August 2009

The Forgotten Men - Iraq

Kidnappers Parade British Hostage on Arab TV
THE TELEGRAPH: A British hostage seized in Baghdad has been paraded in a video and forced to demand the release of Iraqi prisoners.

The video of the man, a computer expert who was kidnapped nine months ago in Baghdad along with four British security contractors, was broadcast on the al-Arabiya satellite news channel.

The man identifies himself as Peter before his words are dubbed into Arabic.

He then appeals to Gordon Brown to release nine Iraqi prisoners in exchange for the five Britons.

"It's as simple as that," he said. "It's a simple exchange of people ... That's all they want. Just to have their people released and we can go home.

"I miss my family a lot and the only thing I want is to get out of here. I tell Gordon Brown: Free their prisoners and we can go home." Kidnappers Parade British Hostage on Arab TV >>> By Tim Butcher, Middle East Correspondent

Mark Alexander (Paperback)
Mark Alexander (Hardback)

Now, the sailors can sell their stories!
BBC: The 15 Royal Navy personnel held captive by Iran are to be allowed to sell their stories to the media. Iranian captives can sell stories

Taking the dignity out of our military

We showed weakness and will pay the price

Buoyant Teheran warns of further kidnappings

Iran laughs at Easter ‘gift’ of humiliation

"As a former Anglophile, I am truly ashamed and saddened by the actions of the British Navy and its sailors. There is NO EXCUSE for a serviceman to put his own safety as his top-priority. The statements made by the sailors even after their release reveal nothing but cowardice. It is evident that the great nation, the once-proud land of knights, crusaders, an empire on whose borders the sun never set, then of Churchill, is truly dead. In its place is a feminized, neutered, quivering nation of children living in fear of their Islamic overlords, those inside as well as outside its borders. I thank God Hitler arrived in the '40's, when England still had men who knew the meaning of duty, honor, and sacrifice." - Michael Delaney, Pasadena, Texas, USA [Source: TIMESONLINE]

Mark Alexander