Latest Hostage situations News

Biden meets 4-year-old Abigail Edan, an American who was held hostage by Hamas

Apr. 24, 2024 18:43 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden met Wednesday with Abigail Edan, the 4-year-old American girl who was held hostage in Gaza for several weeks at the start of the war. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the White House meeting with Abigail and her family...

Hamas releases video showing well-known Israeli-American hostage

Apr. 24, 2024 18:21 PM EDT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas released a hostage video on Wednesday showing a well-known Israeli-American man who was among scores of people abducted by the militants in the attack that ignited the war in Gaza. The video was the first sign of life of Hersh Goldberg-Polin since Hamas’...

UN calls for investigation into mass graves uncovered at two Gaza hospitals raided by Israel

Apr. 23, 2024 20:31 PM EDT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations called Tuesday for “a clear, transparent and credible investigation” of mass graves uncovered at two major hospitals in war-torn Gaza that were raided by Israeli troops. Credible investigators must have access to the sites, U.N....

Terry Anderson, AP reporter abducted in Lebanon and held captive for years, has died at 76

Apr. 21, 2024 21:36 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Terry Anderson, the globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent who became one of America’s longest-held hostages after he was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years, has died at 76. Anderson, who chronicled his...

Israelis grapple with how to celebrate Passover, a holiday about freedom, while many remain captive

Apr. 18, 2024 07:02 AM EDT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Every year, Alon Gat’s mother led the family's Passover celebration of the liberation of the ancient Israelites from Egypt thousands of years ago. But this year, Gat is struggling with how to reconcile a holiday commemorating freedom after his mother was slain and other family...

Artist and curators refuse to open Israel pavilion at Venice Biennale until cease-fire, hostage deal

Apr. 16, 2024 16:39 PM EDT

VENICE, Italy (AP) — The artist and curators representing Israel at this year’s Venice Biennale announced on Tuesday they won't open the Israeli pavilion exhibit until there is a cease-fire in Gaza and an agreement to release hostages seized by Hamas on Oct. 7. Their decision,...

Judge in Trump's election interference case rejects 'hostages' label for jailed Jan. 6 defendants

Apr. 10, 2024 18:56 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump's election interference case rejected the notion Wednesday that jailed defendants charged with some of the most violent crimes of the U.S. Capitol riot are “hostages” — a label Trump and his allies have frequently used to...

Palestinians returning to Khan Younis after Israeli withdrawal find an unrecognizable city

Apr. 08, 2024 21:50 PM EDT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Stunned Palestinians found their home city unrecognizable Monday as they filtered in to salvage what they could from the vast destruction left by Israeli troops who withdrew from southern Gaza's Khan Younis a day earlier after months of fighting and bombardment. ...

Pope marks 6-month anniversary of Hamas attacks by meeting with relatives of hostages

Apr. 08, 2024 21:16 PM EDT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis met Monday with relatives of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, marking the six-month anniversary of the attack in southern Israel with an hourlong audience. The Vatican released photos of the encounter, showing relatives of several of the hostages...

Israel finds the body of a hostage killed in Gaza, while talks will resume on a cease-fire

Apr. 06, 2024 16:15 PM EDT

CAIRO (AP) — Israel's military said Saturday it had recovered the body of a 47-year-old farmer who was held hostage in Gaza, while negotiators prepared for another round of talks Sunday on brokering a cease-fire and securing the release of the remaining hostages, six months into the war. ...