Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, January 4, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, January 4, 2024
IDF says three Israelis declared missing since Oct. 7 are confirmed to be among Gaza hostages
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A woman walks past photographs in Jerusalem of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, January 3, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says three Israelis declared missing since October 7 are confirmed to be held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
This brings the total number of hostages in the Gaza Strip to 136.
The number includes the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014, as well as two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are both thought to be alive after entering the Strip of their own accord in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
