How the IDF finds hostages in Gaza

What this post covers

According to Israeli figures, 251 people were taken into Gaza during and after the 7 October 2023 attack. Some were released in negotiated exchanges, some were recovered in military operations, and some died in captivity. This post describes the military recovery operations that the film's interviewees refer to. It is not a full list of hostages, and it does not cover the negotiations in detail.

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How the IDF describes the search

The IDF says that locating hostages was difficult because Gaza is densely built and has an extensive network of tunnels. It says hostages were held both in apartments and underground, and that armed Hamas members were often nearby. The IDF describes the process as a chain. The Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, and IDF intelligence gather information. Special forces, including the police unit Yamam, carry out the entry. Air support and medical teams support the operation. The IDF says that information can go out of date quickly, because captives may be moved.

Operations the film's material refers to

- 30 October 2023: the IDF says it recovered Ori Megidish, a soldier who had been taken during the attack, alive from Gaza. - 12 February 2024, Operation Golden Hand: the IDF and Yamam recovered Fernando Marman and Louis Har from an apartment in Rafah. - 8 June 2024, Operation Arnon, in Nuseirat: Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv were recovered. The operation is named for Yamam Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, who was killed during it. - 27 August 2024: soldiers found Farhan al-Qadi, a Bedouin Israeli from the Negev, in a tunnel in southern Gaza.

Exchanges and operations

Hostages also returned through negotiated exchanges, such as the one in November 2023, which involved the release of prisoners held by Israel. The film focuses on the military side of the effort. The interviewees say the military search continued while negotiations were under way.

Where accounts differ

Descriptions of these operations come mainly from the IDF, Israeli officials and the film's interviewees. Hamas, and some humanitarian and human rights organizations, describe the conditions in which the operations took place, and their effects on people in Gaza, differently. The record also includes hostages who were not found alive.

Private Screener. Thank you for taking the time to watch this film. We’d value your honest impressions after viewing. This link is intended for you only. Please don’t forward, download, record, or publish any part of the film without prior permission.