Many details have yet to be worked out and it would still likely be days, even in the best-case scenario, before a deal could be reached, the official said. Still, they repeatedly cautioned that the talks could at any point stall or deteriorate: “It’s been close before. If a deal were to be struck, the hostages would exit Gaza in stages on a rolling basis – with priority placed on extra vulnerable groups like children and women – in a process that is expected to take multiple days, the official said. The families of German hostages said they will hold a rally in Berlin on Sunday to call for their relatives' release after meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Tel Aviv.The parties involved in the ongoing negotiations to secure the release of hostages that Hamas is holding in Gaza are working toward a deal that would entail a sustained, days-long pause in fighting in exchange for a large group of hostages being freed, a senior US official familiar with the talks told CNN Friday. Hundreds of demonstrators rallied in New York's Times Square on Thursday to demand the release of hostages, holding billboards showing the faces of people believed to be held, including babies and elderly people.įamilies of missing Franco-Israeli citizens urged French President Emmanuel Macron to help locate their missing relatives.

citizens in Tel Aviv urged Biden to use all resources to locate and rescue their kidnapped relatives. Under German law, prosecutors are compelled to investigate suspected crimes abroad if they involve German citizens. Germany has opened an investigation into members of Hamas for suspected murder, manslaughter and hostage-taking. has sent a small team of special operations forces to Israel to help with intelligence and planning for any eventual operations to rescue the hostages.īritain's Sunak has said his government is talking to partners in the region to try and help secure the return of hostages.Īrgentina's Fernandez said his government was talking with Israeli intelligence forces to locate Argentine hostages. President Joe Biden said his administration is 'workin' like hell' to find American hostages held by Hamas. and Germany have asked for help from Turkey on winning the release of their citizens. He told state-run Andalou news agency that countries including the U.S. Turkey is also talking with Hamas to secure the release of foreigners, civilians and children, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Tuesday. So far, there has been no indication a deal might be at hand. Qatari mediators have said they have tried to negotiate freedom for Israeli women and children seized by Hamas in return for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israel's prisons, a source briefed on the talks told Reuters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed a retired general, Gal Hirsch, as Israel's coordinator on hostages and missing persons. 16 that kidnapped non-Israelis were 'guests' who would be released 'when circumstances on the ground allow.' WHAT HAVE GOVERNMENTS SAID THEY ARE DOING ABOUT THEM?

Italy says two dual Italian-Israeli nationals are missing, presumed kidnapped. Israeli-Chilean Dafna Garcovich was taken hostage with her Spanish husband Ivan Illaramendi, her father said. Portugal said it assumes that four Portuguese-Israelis who are missing have been taken hostage. Ofir Engel, an 18-year-old Dutch national, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be'eri and taken to Gaza, according to the Dutch government. During a trip to Israel on Thursday, Sunak met with the families of two of the missing who are believed to have been taken hostage and held in Gaza.įrance has not said exactly how many of its citizens are held in Gaza, although there are seven unaccounted for after the attacks, of which some are being held hostage. Eight Germans are among the hostages, about half of whom were seized at a kibbutz, according to local media.Īrgentine President Alberto Fernandez said in a video call with families that 16 of his countrymen were being held.Īt least nine British nationals have been killed and seven are missing, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said. Thailand revised to 17 the number of its citizens being held.

Hostage capture synonym