Israel’s long history of hostage negotiations – and how it’s dealt with them in the past
Hamas’s attack on Israel has given rise to the largest-scale hostage crisis in the country’s 75-year history.
About 200 people have been captured and taken into Gaza, according to the Israeli military.
Over the course of the Arab-Israeli conflict, armed Palestinian groups have taken dozens of Israelis captive.
The vast majority have been Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers, which have been used by various Palestinian groups to secure the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.
This time, Hamas officials have demanded the release of 6,000 people from Israeli prisons in exchange for the men, women and children taken since 7 October.
While its western allies have strict policies on never negotiating with hostage takers, Israel takes a different view.
Here Sky News looks at Israel’s complex history with hostage negotiations and how it has dealt with similar incidents in the past.
Nine of the hostages taken from Israel since 7 October
‘Unwritten contract’ between Israel and its people
The taking of hostages has long been a feature of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Armed Palestinian groups have used Israel’s commitment to its people as a bargaining measure to achieve their aims since people were displaced and many killed in the ‘Nakba’ of 1948.
Dr Melanie Garson, associate professor in international conflict resolution and security at University College London, says: “They know the value Israel has always placed on every single life and the explicit promise between the government and the people that they would never leave anyone behind enemy lines.
“That comes from being a very small state fighting for its existence and from the Holocaust when so many people were left unknown.”
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The state’s “unwritten contract” with its people also has origins in Jewish law.
The Amidah, a prayer recited three times a day by practicing Jews, refers to God “freeing the captives”. Jewish scripture also prioritises freeing prisoners above feeding the poor.
And safely returning hostages, even those not alive, means the appropriate burial rituals in Judaism can be respected.
Munich massacre
One of the most famous incidents involving Israeli hostages was during the Munich Olympic Games in 1972.
It was carried out by eight members of the Black September organisation, a militant Palestinian group formed in 1970 that took its name from the war between Jordan and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO).
They broke into the Olympic village and at around 4am on 5 September they reached where the Israeli team were staying.
Masked Black September hostage taker inside the Olympic village in Munich in 1972. Pic: AP
As they drew their weapons a German wrestling judge Yossef Gutfreund tried to intervene and was shot dead.
Two Israelis were killed and nine others, including athletes and coaches, were taken hostage.
The hostage takers’ demands were the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners, as well as members of the German terror group Red Army Faction (RAF), and a plane to take the hostages to an Arab country.
The German and Israeli authorities provided vehicles to take them to a NATO air base where they could then travel by helicopter.
But in a failed rescue attempt all nine hostages and five of the assailants were killed.
Israel launched a military offensive, which they named ‘Wrath of God’, in response four days later. PLO bases in Syria and Lebanon were bombed and 200 people were killed.
Entebbe
Four years later on 27 June 1976, an Air France flight from Tel Aviv to Paris was hijacked by three men and a woman who were members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and RAF militant groups.
The plane refuelled in Benghazi, Libya, before disembarking in Entebbe, Uganda, at 4am the next day.
All 258 people on board were taken to a disused airport terminal under the watch of Ugandan soldiers.
Initially, 47 elderly people, women and children were released, followed by about 100 non-Israelis.
Around 100 Israelis were left, whom the hostage takers said they would let go in exchange for 53 prisoners.
The Israelis refused to negotiate and instead, with the help of Mossad intelligence and the Kenyan authorities, they organised a rescue operation.
Codenamed Operation Thunderbolt, it was led by Benjamin Netanyahu‘s brother Yonatan.
Israeli family reunited with Entebbe hostage at Ben Gurion Airport in July 1976
Mother reunited with her daughter after Entebbe hostage crisis. Pic: AP
The raid was successful – almost all of the hostages were rescued and all seven of those holding them were killed.
The only Israeli casualty was Yonatan Netanyahu.
Gilad Shalit
The most recent high-profile Israeli hostage was in 2006 when 19-year-old Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier, was captured in an attack on the post he was stationed at close to the Egyptian and Gaza borders.
Gilad Shalit, 19, before his capture
After two tank operators were killed and a third wounded, Mr Shalit was taken into Gaza via Hamas-dug underground tunnels.
He was held by members of Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees, and the Army of Islam over a period of five years.
His family’s campaign for his return spread around the world, with his father impressing on the Israeli authorities: “The government sent Gilad to fight. It must bring him back.”
A protest demanding the safe return of Gilad Shalit
Mr Shalit was released on 18 October 2011.
It was the first time an IDF soldier had been returned alive since 1985.
Hamas militants with a picture of Gilad Shalit in Jabalya, Gaza in 2007
The prisoner exchange was also the largest in history – almost 1,000 Palestinian prisoners were released over the next two months.
During his time in captivity, there were heavy bombardments in both Israel and Gaza.
Gilad Shalit and his father Noam are reunited after his release in 2011
Past ‘no precedent’ for predicting this outcome
In the past, when there has been enough intelligence to show hostages’ exact whereabouts, the Israelis have launched rescue operations.
But these are very high-risk and with Gaza’s high population density and network of underground tunnels, it may prove impossible to locate those currently being held hostage.
This leaves negotiation.
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Appeal for safe release of hostages
Nimrod Goren, senior fellow for Israeli affairs at the Middle East Institute, tells Sky News that foreign nationals and women, children and elderly, could be let go as they were in Entebbe.
“Lots of other nationalities being among the hostages could be helpful,” he says. “It increases the interest of other countries – you already have the US, Germany and France offering to help.”
He adds that Israel’s control over humanitarian corridors into Gaza could also be used as a bargaining chip.
But Professor David Tal, chair of modern Israeli studies at the University of Sussex, says the current situation is so “beyond” the usual parameters of the Arab-Israeli conflict that there is no way of predicting how either Israel or the hostage takers will act.
“The nature of this attack is so atrocious, so brutal, it means the past isn’t a precedent that can tell us how it will turn out,” he says.
A sign shows hostage victim Tal Shoham
A mother of a hostage victim with a picture of her daughter
If the Israelis do negotiate on prisoner releases, it will be through a third-party mediator, possibly Qatar, Egypt or Turkey, as there are no direct lines of communication with Hamas, he adds.
But with Mr Netanyahu’s government vowing the total eradication of Hamas – there could be no one left to negotiate with.
Professor Tal is also sceptical of Hamas agreeing to a release in exchange for humanitarian aid for Gaza.
“Hamas uses its own people as bargaining chips,” he says.
“They want to see human catastrophe in the Gaza strip – they’ll want to prevent humanitarian corridors opening so they can further act against Israel. So I don’t think you can talk about rules or common sense in this case.”
Pope Leo will lead his first holy mass as pontiff this morning – after already paying a surprise visit to see staff at his former residence.
Robert Prevost’s life changed forever on Thursday when he went from being one of 252 cardinals to the first-ever American pope.
His was chosen after just four rounds of voting in the Sistine Chapel – a conclave that lasted just 25 hours.
New pope unveiled to the world – as it happened
The 69-year-old Chicago-born cardinal was not seen as a frontrunner but quickly secured the required two-thirds majority.
There was jubilation in St Peter’s Square when white smoke emerged and about an hour later the Pope’s identity was revealed when he stepped onto the balcony.
The choice of Leo is the first time the name has been used since Leo XII – the pope from 1878 to 1903.
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Moment new pope emerges on balcony
People celebrated the new pope’s announcement in St Peter’s Square. Pic: Reuters
Sky News understands one of the first things the Pope did was greet staff at his former residence, Sant’Uffizio Palace, just outside the Vatican.
All eyes will now be on his first mass, when he and other cardinals return to the Sistine Chapel around 10am.
Pope Leo’s first words as leader of 1.4 billion Catholics on Thursday evening were “may peace be with all of you”.
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Conclave: How the last 48 hours unfolded
His balcony speech also paid tribute to his predecessor – who only made him cardinal two years ago and brought him from Peru for a senior Vatican role.
“The pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the whole world on that Easter morning. So let us follow up that blessing,” said Leo.
He also called for a “church that builds bridges” and is “able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love”.
Read more:
Who is the new Pope?
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The Pope vs his predecessors
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Trump comments on first US pope
There has long been a taboo against a US pope – given the influence the country already has – but Leo was promoted as a “compromise candidate” ahead of conclave.
His many years as a missionary in Peru are also believed to have given him more universal appeal, especially among the cardinals from Central and South America.
President Donald Trump told reporters having an American in the role for the first time was a “great honour” – and Time magazine has already revealed its cover celebrating the moment.
However, the Pope appears to have taken issue with some of the Trump administration’s views and policies.
His X account posted a link in February to an article criticising comments by the vice president entitled: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others”.
In April, when President Trump met El Salvador’s leader about using a notorious prison for suspected US gang members, he shared another post stating: “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?”
‘Pope played Wordle before conclave’
With many now waiting on the Pope’s next public comments, his brothers have revealed their surprise when they saw him emerge in the white robes on TV.
Eldest brother Louis Prevost told Sky’s US partner NBC News it was “mindblowing”.
“When the cardinal came out and started to read his name, as soon as he went “raw” I knew he was gonna say ‘Roberto’ – and he did – and I just freaked out.”
Mr Prevost added: “We’ve kind of known he was special, and we used to tease him about being pope when he was six years old and stuff.”
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The Pope’s other brother said he had been in contact with him before conclave and joked about watching the hit film of the same name.
“I said did you watch the movie Conclave so you know how to behave,” John Prevost told NBC News.
“And he had just finished watching the movie so knew how to behave; so it’s that kind of stuff because I wanted to take his mind off of it – because this is now an awesome responsibility.”
He also revealed the brothers had played online puzzles Wordle and Words with Friends to take the Pope’s mind off things in the run-up to the election.
The Vatican has announced the first ever US leader of the Catholic Church – Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
The 69-year-old cardinal was born in Chicago and spent many years as a missionary in Peru.
Follow live updates: New pope elected
He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and appointed head of the dicastery for bishops, a powerful position responsible for selecting new bishops.
Significantly, he presided over one of Francis’s most revolutionary reforms when he added three women to the voting bloc which decides on the bishop nominations sent to the Pope.
Bishop Robert Prevost leading a celebration in Peru last August. Pic: AP
As cardinal, he said little on key issues of the church, but some of his positions are known.
He is reportedly very close to Francis’s vision regarding the environment, outreach to the poor and migrants. He said in 2024 “the bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom”.
He also supported Pope Francis’s stance on allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion.
However, he only showed mild support for Francis allowing priests to bless same-sex couples.
Cardinal Prevost being appointed by Francis in 2023. Pic: EPA/Shutterstock
Pope Leo has years of experience in leadership roles within the church.
He was twice elected to the top position of the Augustinian religious order and Francis clearly had an eye on his progress – moving him from the Augustinian leadership back to Peru in 2014, where he served as administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo.
He acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015 and remained in Chiclayo until 2023, when Francis brought him to Rome.
Pope Leo’s years in Peru made him a more universal candidate for the papacy. Pic: AP
While there has long been a taboo against a US pope – given the geopolitical power the US already wields – Leo was being promoted as a “compromise candidate” ahead of the conclave.
The amount of time he has spent in Peru also allowed him to be seen as a more universal candidate.
The world learned a new pope had been chosen at around 6.08pm local time (5.08pm UK time) on Thursday as white smoke suddenly emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.
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First US pope chosen
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New pope elected by conclave
The 133 cardinals sequestered in the chapel picked the new leader of the Catholic Church on the second day of the conclave.
As the smoke appeared, cheers went up in St Peter’s Square, where thousands of people had gathered in the hope of witnessing history.
Just over an hour later, the Pope was introduced on the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica as a crowd of an estimated 50,000 people looked on.
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Pope Leo’s first address
Delivering an address from the balcony, Pope Leo – speaking in Italian – told the crowds: “Peace be with you all.”
He then thanked his predecessor and repeated Francis’s call for a church that is engaged with the modern world and “always looking for peace, charity and being close to people, especially those who are suffering”.
Newly-elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Pic: Reuters
“Together we must try to find out how to be a church that builds bridges, establishes dialogue and is open to receiving everybody,” he said.
Speaking in Spanish, he added: “I would particularly like to say hello to my compatriots from Peru.
“It was a great pleasure for me to work in Peru.”
There is a long list of demands in the new pope’s in-tray, ranging from the position of women in the church to the ongoing fight against sexual abuse and restoring papal finances.
People both inside the Catholic Church and around the world will be watching how the new pontiff deals with them.
US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the new pope on Thursday after just two days of conclave.
The 69-year-old, who becomes the first American pope, will take the name Leo XIV.
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‘Evil will not prevail, we are all in the hands of God’, the new American Pope told the crowd.
On Friday, Pope Leo will lead his first holy mass as pontiff after already paying a surprise visit to see staff at his former residence.
Here, Sky News Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins takes an in-depth look at the challenges facing the new pontiff.
Sexual abuse
Many Catholic insiders credit Pope Francis with going further than any of his predecessors to address sexual abuse.
He gathered bishops together for a conference on the issue in 2019 and that led to a change that allows cooperating with civil courts if needed during abuse cases.
But it didn’t go as far as forcing the disclosure of all information gathered in relation to child abuse.
Any abuse allegations must now be referred to church leaders, but reformers stopped short of decreeing that such cases should also be automatically referred to the police.
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Clerical abuse victim says church still has ‘so much to do’
While many abuse victims agree they saw progress under Pope Francis, who spent a lot of time listening to their accounts, they say reforms didn’t go far enough.
The next pope will be under pressure to take strong action on the issue.
Newly-elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Pic: Reuters
Women
Pope Francis also did more to promote women in the Vatican than any other pontiff.
Two years ago, he allowed women to vote in a significant meeting of bishops.
While he was clear he wanted women to have more opportunities, he resisted the idea that they needed to be part of the church hierarchy and didn’t change the rules on women being ordained.
A woman kneels at St. Peter’s Square, on the first day of the conclave to elect the new pope. Pic: Reuters
His successor will need to decide if they push this agenda forward or rein it back in.
It’s a pressing concern as women do a huge amount of the work in schools and hospitals, but many are frustrated about being treated as second-class citizens. 10,000 nuns a year have left in the decade from 2012 to 2022, according to Vatican figures.
Inclusion
“Who am I to judge?” Pope Francis famously said when asked about a gay monsignor in 2013.
His supporters say he sought to make the church more open, including allowing blessings for same sex couples but while critics argue he didn’t go far enough, some conservatives were outraged.
A gay couple kiss at a Catholic protest against the legalisation of gay marriage in Mexico. File pic: Reuters
African bishops collectively rejected blessings for same sex couples, saying “it would cause confusion and would be in direct contradiction to the cultural ethos of African communities”.
How welcome LGBTQ+ people feel in the church will depend partly on decisions made by the pontiff.
Conversely, the Pope must also bring together disparate groups within the Catholic faith.
Many are demanding a leader who can unite the various factions and bring stability in an increasingly unstable world.
The global south
While the Catholic church is losing members in its traditional base of Europe, it’s growing rapidly in the global south.
The area has become the new centre of gravity for Catholicism with huge followings in countries like Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines.
Pope Francis tried to expand representation by appointing more cardinals from different areas of the world, and the new Pope will be expected to continue this.
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Behind the scenes at the conclave
Finance
The Vatican is facing a serious financial crisis.
The budget deficit has tripled since Pope Francis’s election and the pension fund has a shortfall of up to €2bn (£1.7bn).
These money worries, which were compounded by COVID-19 and long-standing bureaucratic challenges, represent a major concern for the next pope.
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