On October 7, 2023, several Hamas terrorists infiltrated southern Israel and managed to take several hundred people back to Gaza as hostages, in addition to murdering over 1,200 people.
Their safety has been the subject of great concern to the Israeli public, who campaign for their release and safety as the IDF's war on Hamas continues. So far, several hostages have been released, most of them due to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange.
It is currently unknown exactly how many hostages are currently alive in Gaza, though most estimates place it at over 100 at the time of writing.
