Families await news of French hostages as Gaza truce deal advances

A demonstrator carries a portrait of Ofer Kalderon, one of the French-Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza during an anti-government protest in front of the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv on 23 November 2024.

France has no news about the fate of its two remaining hostages held in Gaza, as negotiations advance for a new truce deal between Israel and Hamas that could see the release of 33 captives.

The deal outlines a 42-day ceasefire starting with the release of three hostages on day one, followed by four more by Sunday.

Most of them are expected to be women, children, or the ill. Subsequent negotiations would focus on freeing male hostages and securing a full Israeli military withdrawal.

Under the agreement, Israel would gradually pull back its forces while maintaining an 800-metre buffer zone inside Gaza. The deal also includes the release of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, though anyone involved in the 7 October attack would be excluded.

French toll

"For too many months, we have had no news. We sincerely hope they can return to us alive and in good health. We have no certainty," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on RTL radio.

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Since the conflict began, 48 French citizens have died. Eight were taken hostage, of whom two died in captivity and four were released during previous negotiations.

The two remaining French-Israeli hostages – Ofer Kalderon, 53, and Ohad Yahalomi, 49 – were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas's attack on southern Israel on 7 October.


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