Who are the first 40 Israeli hostages released by Hamas?

Published

12 months ago

November 27, 2023

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Fourteen more Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas after being held for almost seven weeks.

They include four-year-old Abigail, a dual Israeli-American national, whose parents were reportedly killed in the 7 October attacks.

US President Joe Biden said on the day she was released that her father was “gunned down while using his body to shield little Abigail”, who then ran to a neighbour’s house where she was taken hostage alongside another family.

Her handover on Sunday coincides with the release of 39 prisoners by Israel after a deal that has paused fighting between the two sides.

It comes after a further 13 Israelis were released on Friday and Saturday as part of the same deal, with 39 Palestinian prisoners being returned to the West Bank on the same days.

A further 17 Thai nationals and one Filipino hostage have also been released by Hamas.

The names of the Israeli hostages – who were among some 240 people kidnapped during the deadly Hamas attack – released on Sunday are:

Hagar Brodetz, 40, with her children, Ofry, 10, Yuval, eight, and Oriya, who is four

The family was taken hostage together on 7 October.

Chen Goldstein-Almog, with her three children, Agam, who is 17, Gal, 11, and eight-year-old Tal

Ms Goldstein-Almog, 49, is a social worker and was taken by Hamas alongside her children.

Dafna Elyakim, 15, and Ela Elyakim, who is eight years old

Abigail Edan, four

Four-year-old Abigail is a dual Israeli-American national, whose parents were reportedly killed in the 7 October attacks.

“What she endured is unthinkable,” Mr Biden told a news conference.

Ron Krivoi, 25

Mr Krivoi is a Russian-Israeli, whom Hamas said it had freed in appreciation of Moscow’s support during the conflict.

Alma Avraham, 84

Ms Avraham was among those freed on 26 November, the third day of the temporary truce deal between Israel and Hamas.

Aviva Adrienne Siegel, 62

Ms Siegel was freed after more than seven weeks in captivity.

Emily Hand, nine

Irish-Israeli schoolgirl Emily was taken from Be’eri on 7 October.

She was sleeping at her best friend’s house when the attack took place.

Her mother, Liat, died of cancer when Emily was two years old. Her father, Thomas, made multiple pleas for her safe return.

Thomas was initially told that Emily’s body had been found, but was later told that she was alive and among the hostages.

Hila Rotem Shoshani, 13

Hila managed to escape her home in Be’eri, but was found hiding in nearby bushes and kidnapped by Hamas militants.

Her mother, Raaya, was also kidnapped.

Hila had recently returned from a holiday in Korea and Thailand, where she had been visiting for her uncle’s wedding.

Maya Regev, 21

Maya was kidnapped, along with her brother Itay and their friend Omer She-Tov, while attending the Re’im festival.

She had gone to the festival hours after landing from Mexico, where she had been on holiday with her family.

Maya is due to go travelling across South America next month.

Noam Or, 17, and his 13-year-old sister, Alma

Noam was kidnapped from kibbutz Be’eri, along with his sister, Alma.

Their mother, Yonat, was murdered during the same attack.

Their eldest brother, Yahli, survived the attack as he was away in northern Israel on national service.

Shiri Weiss, 53, and her 18-year-old daughter, Noga

Described as “very family-oriented”, Shiri Weiss, an accountant for an agricultural association, was kidnapped from Be’eri, alongside her husband, Ilan, and her daughter, Noga.

Friends say Ms Weiss likes being in charge of planning family trips, while Noga has been described as a sports fan – particularly volleyball.

Noga hid under the bed during the attack, but was forced to flee the home after it was set on fire.

She escaped through a window, but was found hiding in bushes and was kidnapped.

Sharon Avigdori, 52, and her 12-year-old daughter, Noam

A drama therapist who works with people on the autism spectrum, Sharon Avigdori was taken with her daughter Noam while visiting her brother in kibbutz Be’eri.

Noam, a member of the Scouts movement, was about to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah when she was taken.

A further seven members of Ms Avigdori’s family were kidnapped and three were murdered on 7 October.

Shoshan Haran, 67, her daughter, Adi Shoham, and her grandchildren, Nave, eight, and Yahel, three

Sharon Haran is the founder of a non-profit organisation, who previously worked on agricultural projects in Africa.

She was taken along with eight members of her family, while her husband, sister, and brother-in-law, were murdered.

Her daughter, Adi Shoham, from Ma’aleh Tzvia, was kidnapped from Be’eri along with her husband and their two children, Nave and Yahel, and five other members of the family.

They were in Be’eri for a holiday visit.

Ms Shoham works as a clinical psychologist, while Nave is a huge fan of the Argentinian football star Lionel Messi, and his sister, Yahel, is a fan of singing.

The names of the hostages released on Friday are:

Adina Moshe, 72

She was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, after Hamas militants killed her husband Sa’id Moshe.

She has four children – Maya, Yael, Sasson, and Amos – and a number of grandchildren.

Her hobbies include cooking, gardening and reading.

Margalit Moses, 77

A cancer survivor, she has diabetes and fibromyalgia, and takes additional medications for blood pressure and thyroid.

She is said to be a sworn nature lover, especially of birds, and loves hiking despite her poor health.

Last summer she went on sailing trip in northern Norway and had plans to visit Mozambique this winter. Margalit’s other hobbies include knitting.

Daniel Aloni, 45, and her six-year-old daughter Emilia

The pair were kidnapped in Nir Oz while visiting Daniel’s sister Sharon Aloni-Cunio – who was also kidnapped along with her three-year-old twins Emma and Yuli, and their father David Cunio.

On 7 October at 11am Daniel sent a “last message” to her family which said there were terrorists in the house and she was afraid they would not survive.

Ruthy Munder, 78, Keren Munder, 54 and nine-year-old Ohad Munder

Ohad was kidnapped along with his mother, Keren, while they were visiting his grandmother Ruthy, who was also seized. He reportedly turned nine while in captivity. His mother is a teacher and children’s volleyball coach.

Ruthy Munder’s hobbies are said to include knitting, painting and sewing. Her husband, Ohad’s grandfather, was also kidnapped and is still being held by Hamas, it is thought.

Doron Katz Asher, 34, and her daughters Aviv, two, and Raz, four

The trio were kidnapped during a visit to relatives, including the girls’ grandmother, in Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Ms Katz Asher works as an accountant.

Hanna Peri, 79

The mother-of-three immigrated to Israel from South Africa in the 1960s. She works in a grocery store.

Ms Peri is said to have diabetes and suffers from severe vision loss in one eye. Her hobbies including gardening, Tai Chi and looking after her pet cat.

Footage, apparently of her, being taken away on a golf buggy went viral following Hamas’s attack.

Yaffa Adar, 85

Ms Adar has three children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

One of her grandchildren, Tamir Adar, 38, was kidnapped alongside her and is still thought to be held by Hamas.

Hana Katzir, 76

Ms Katzir was the 13th hostage to be released on Friday. Hamas forces reportedly claimed earlier this week that she had died in captivity.

World

China’s premier air show wows spectators – but the West won’t have liked seeing Russia’s jets

Published

21 hours ago

November 16, 2024

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China's premier air show wows spectators - but the West won't have liked seeing Russia's jets

Outgoing US President Joe Biden is set to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping today for what is likely to be his last time as US president.

The two leaders are expected to hold talks on the sidelines of a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in the Peruvian capital, Lima.

It comes against the backdrop of increasing tension in the US-China relationship with a potential trade war looming under a Trump presidency, several China hawks tapped for US cabinet positions and China’s growing status among global south countries as an emerging leader of an alternative world order.

This week China was focused on events in the southern city of Zhuhai.

First there was a car ramming attack at Zhuhai’s sports stadium which left 25 people dead. A shocking event that was heavily censored in China.

Less than an hour’s drive away the country was holding its premier air show.

It was a military enthusiast’s dream, and not even intermittent rain could keep the crowds of tens of thousands of people away from relishing in the roar of jets in the skies above Zhuhai.

China’s fighter jet fleet

One of the main drawcards was China’s newest stealth fighter the J-35A. It will join the country’s J-20 in service for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

The J-10C was China’s aerobatics star of the show. There were daily displays of its prowess in sky-high manoeuvres and formations that impressed onlookers, leaving a streak of colours across the cloudy rain-clogged sky.

China’s military modernsiation programme is continuing apace

It boasts the largest navy in the world and the largest armed forces by active-duty personnel.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Airforce is developing fast too.

Dr Nicole Leveringhaus, a China security expert from King’s College London, says: “China started with very little. It was devastated by wars on many fronts in the 30s and 40s. Its defence industry was depleted. In 70-plus years it’s built itself up and now we’re seeing the results.

“It’s an impressive feat to go from a bloated land-based peasant guerrilla army to what it has to today.”

Chinese pride and nationalism on display

Enjoying the air show spectacle, military fan Liu Liansong said: “I think the air show is great. It is a firm manifestation of the air force’s development from scratch. We as Chinese people feel very proud.”

The air show included massive exhibition halls of military hardware, from drones to robotics, firearms and mock missiles. Merely getting from one end of the venue to the other through densely packed crowds was a mission.

Russia in the air

The other crowd puller this week was Russia’s aerobatic air force unit, performing daily theatrics at dizzying speeds.

It is another sign of the deepening ties between China and Russia.

One Russian tourist and recreational pilot, Yulia, told Sky News: “Both sides are looking for good communication in business, aviation and in many spheres including tourism.”

The secretary of Russia’s security council and former defence minister Sergei Shoigu also visited the air show, viewing both Chinese and Russian-made jets.

In Beijing, secretary Shoigu was quoted by Russian state media as saying: “I see the most important task as countering the policy of ‘dual containment’ of Russia and China pursued by the United States and its satellites.”

The West is increasingly frustrated by China’s support of Russia. The US has sanctioned two Chinese companies, accusing them of being involved in the production of Russian aerial drones used on the battlefield.

China insists it is not supplying weapons to Russia.

One of the companies, Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Co, had a small stand in one of the exhibition halls. Its representatives declined Sky News’ request for an interview.

Tariff war brewing

Despite the raw military might on display in Zhuhai, in China there is uncertainty and unease about what an impending Donald Trump presidency will mean for global trade.

President-elect Trump has threatened blanket tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese products exported to the US.

This would be a serious blow to China’s target GDP growth and comes at a time when the country’s economy faces deep-set challenges.

At the other end of the country, in Beijing analysts are weighing up the impact of possible tariffs and the Chinese government’s options to respond.

Senior Asia analyst Chim Lee, from The Economist Intelligence Unit, is not optimistic that a US-China agreement to minimise the damage can be reached.

“I think both sides have recognised that the era of making deals is passed,” Mr Lee said.

“We’re going to see China starting with some targeted measures, tariffs it feels more comfortable to impose,” he explained. “But there are also areas where China is starting to be a bit more aggressive.”

This action could include export controls on China’s production of critical minerals and retaliatory tariffs on US agriculture exports.

Trade competition, military posturing and complicated geo-political alliances have set the stage for a challenging next phase in US-China relations.

World

Pictures show moment Israeli bomb exploded at Beirut apartment block

Published

1 day ago

November 15, 2024

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Pictures show moment Israeli bomb exploded at Beirut apartment block

New pictures show the moment of impact as an Israeli missile hit a Beirut apartment block and exploded.

The block was one of five buildings destroyed by airstrikes on Friday alone.

Israel launched airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut in a fourth consecutive day of intense attacks.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

An Associated Press photographer captured a sequence of images showing an Israeli bomb approaching and hitting a multi-storey apartment building in Beirut’s Tayouneh area.

Richard Weir, a senior crisis, conflict and arms researcher at Human Rights Watch, reviewed the close-up photos to determine what type of weapon was used.

“The bomb and components visible in the photographs, including the strake, wire harness cover, and tail fin section, are consistent with a Mk-84 series 2,000-pound class general purpose bomb equipped with Boeing’s joint directed attack munition tail kit,” he told AP.

Deadly strikes as bombardment stepped up

Israel stepped up its bombardment this week – an escalation that has coincided with signs of movement in US-led diplomacy towards a ceasefire.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets attacked munitions warehouses, a headquarters and other Hezbollah infrastructure. It issued a warning on social media identifying buildings ahead of the strikes.

Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike killed five members of the same family in a home in Ain Qana in the southern province of Nabatiyeh, Lebanon’s state media said.

The report said a mother, father and their three children were killed but didn’t provide their ages.

Three other Israeli strikes killed six people and wounded 32 in different parts of Tyre province on Friday, also in south Lebanon, the report said.

Video footage also showed a building being struck and turning into a cloud of rubble and debris that billowed into Horsh Beirut, the city’s main park.

More than 3,200 people have been killed in Lebanon during 13 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah – most of them since mid-September.

About 27% of those killed were women and children, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Israel dramatically escalated its bombardment of Lebanon from September, vowing to cripple Hezbollah and end its barrages in Israel.

Friday’s strikes come as Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister has asked Iran to help secure a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The prime minister appeared to urge Ali Larijani, a top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, to convince the militant group to agree to a deal that could require it to pull back from the Israel-Lebanon border.

Iran is a main backer of Hezbollah and for decades has been funding and arming the Lebanese militant group.

On Thursday, Eli Cohen, Israel’s energy minister and a member of its security cabinet, said that prospects for a ceasefire with Lebanon were the most promising since the conflict began.

The Washington Post reported Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was rushing to advance a Lebanon ceasefire to deliver an early foreign policy win to his ally, US President-elect Donald Trump.

World

Elon Musk hints 80-hour-a-week DOGE job for ‘high-IQ revolutionaries’ will be unpaid

Published

1 day ago

November 15, 2024

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Elon Musk hints 80-hour-a-week DOGE job for 'high-IQ revolutionaries' will be unpaid

“Super high-IQ revolutionaries” who are willing to work 80+ hours a week are being urged to join Elon Musk’s new cost-cutting department in Donald Trump’s incoming US government.

The X and Tesla owner will co-lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

And in a post on X, the official DOGE account put out a call to arms for people to sign up and help “dismantle government bureaucracy”.

The post said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE.

“We don’t need more part-time idea generators.

“We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.

“If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”

In a reply to an interested party, Mr Musk suggested the lucky applicants would be working for free.

“Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lost of enemies & compensation is zero,” the world’s richest man wrote.

“What a great deal!”

When announcing the new department, President-elect Donald Trump said Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.

Mr Musk has previously made clear his desire to see cuts to “government waste” and in a post on his X platform suggested he could axe as many as three-quarters of the more than 400 federal departments in the US, writing: “99 is enough.”