Israel says that 137 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip after 110 returned home, most of them during a weeklong cease-fire when they were swapped for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Among those still in captivity after the end of the truce Friday are 115 men, 20 women and two children, government spokesperson Eylon Levy said. Ten of the hostages are 75 and older, he said. The majority, or 126, are Israeli and 11 are foreign nationals, including eight from Thailand.
Levy listed the youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, his 4-year-old brother Ariel and their mother Shiri as among the hostages. The military has said it is investigating a Hamas claim that the boys and their mother were killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Hamas and other militant groups seized more than 240 hostages in their deadly Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel in which more than 1,200 people were killed.
Levy said seven people are still missing from the initial attack.
Source: AP
