Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, November 2, 2023
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, November 2, 2023
IDF says it has notified families of 242 hostages being held in Gaza
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A surfer carrying her board walks past posters, towels and flip-flops that are part of a protest organized by the Australian Jewish community at Bondi Beach in Sydney on November 2, 2023 to highlight the plight of hostages held by Hamas (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says the military has notified the families of 242 hostages that their loved ones are currently being held in the Gaza Strip.
He says the number is not final as the military investigates new information.
The number does not include four released hostages — mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Ra’anan, and elderly women Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper — as well as Pvt. Ori Megidish, who was rescued by the IDF on Sunday night, meaning at least 247 people were taken hostage on October 7.
There are still dozens more missing people whose fates are currently unknown.
