Israel and Hamas have been locked in a cycle of captivity and release for years, with hundreds of people taken by Palestinian fighters during conflicts and subsequent detentions by Israeli forces. The plight of captives has become a major point of contention in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.
In 2023, the situation escalated when Palestinian fighters attacked communities across southern Israel, killing over 1,200 civilians and taking 251 Israeli and foreign captives. In the following weeks, Hamas released two Israeli-American captives and two elderly captives, while Israeli forces recovered an Israeli soldier taken captive during the attack.
The release of captives became a key component of ceasefire deals between Israel and Hamas. However, in December 2023, Israeli forces shot and killed three Israeli captives holding a white flag and attempting to be rescued, underscoring lax rules around the use of force by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip.
In 2024, the number of Palestinians being held as "security detainees" by Israel rose to over 9,400, with many being subjected to torture and abuse. The discovery of six dead Israeli captives in a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza sparked anger in Israel and pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for a deal to secure their release.
As the conflict continued, tensions mounted, particularly after US President-elect Donald Trump threatened to withhold support if remaining captives were not released before his inauguration. The situation was further complicated by reports of torture and abuse in Israeli detention facilities, including at the notorious Sde Teiman facility.
A ceasefire deal reached in 2025 included the release of 33 Israeli captives, but Prime Minister Netanyahu unilaterally broke off the agreement and resumed the war after six weeks. However, Hamas continued to release captives, including five Thai workers who were among those taken captive by Palestinian fighters in October 2023.
In recent years, reports have emerged of Palestinians being subjected to torture and abuse while in Israeli detention, with many dying as a result. In January this year, the military said it had recovered the body of the last captive held in the Palestinian territory, while Central Gaza's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported that it had received nine living Palestinian detainees released by Israel.
In 2023, the situation escalated when Palestinian fighters attacked communities across southern Israel, killing over 1,200 civilians and taking 251 Israeli and foreign captives. In the following weeks, Hamas released two Israeli-American captives and two elderly captives, while Israeli forces recovered an Israeli soldier taken captive during the attack.
The release of captives became a key component of ceasefire deals between Israel and Hamas. However, in December 2023, Israeli forces shot and killed three Israeli captives holding a white flag and attempting to be rescued, underscoring lax rules around the use of force by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip.
In 2024, the number of Palestinians being held as "security detainees" by Israel rose to over 9,400, with many being subjected to torture and abuse. The discovery of six dead Israeli captives in a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza sparked anger in Israel and pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for a deal to secure their release.
As the conflict continued, tensions mounted, particularly after US President-elect Donald Trump threatened to withhold support if remaining captives were not released before his inauguration. The situation was further complicated by reports of torture and abuse in Israeli detention facilities, including at the notorious Sde Teiman facility.
A ceasefire deal reached in 2025 included the release of 33 Israeli captives, but Prime Minister Netanyahu unilaterally broke off the agreement and resumed the war after six weeks. However, Hamas continued to release captives, including five Thai workers who were among those taken captive by Palestinian fighters in October 2023.
In recent years, reports have emerged of Palestinians being subjected to torture and abuse while in Israeli detention, with many dying as a result. In January this year, the military said it had recovered the body of the last captive held in the Palestinian territory, while Central Gaza's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported that it had received nine living Palestinian detainees released by Israel.
. The fact that Israel has lax rules around using force, and then they shoot and kill their own people trying to escape is just devastating 
. And the conditions in those detention facilities? Unacceptable 
. We need to find a way to bring these hostages home safely and work towards a real ceasefire deal. The lives of these innocent people are worth so much more than politics 
.
I mean, these people are being taken captive, tortured and abused, and then suddenly their "rescuers" become martyrs and the whole thing just gets blown up again 
And what's really disturbing is that it feels like Israel is just using its power to keep everyone in a state of limbo. Like, can't they just negotiate and find a peaceful solution already? 
It's not like these captives are going anywhere anytime soon. And honestly, I feel bad for the Palestinian people who are being subjected to all this trauma. It's heartbreaking to see how their lives have been turned upside down 
... but you know what really gets me? how can we keep talking about solving this problem if we don't even have a clear picture of who's being held and for how long 
? like, the fact that 9,400 Palestinians are being labeled as "security detainees" without any real transparency is just crazy 
. but what if we turned this whole situation around? what if we used these captives to bring people together instead of driving them apart 
? like, imagine the conversations you could have with an Israeli soldier who's been in a Hamas prison... or the empathy that could come from hearing the stories of Palestinian families who've lost loved ones 
. it's all about finding that human connection and using it to create real change 
& its crazy that Netanyahu just broke off the ceasefire deal and started the war again after all those people were released. didnt they see how much harm it was causing? 
What kinda message does that send to everyone else? And don't even get me started on the torture and abuse in those detention facilities... it's disgusting. We need better than this. Can't we just try to find a way to coexist or something? 
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. It's so frustrating when politicians get involved and threaten to withhold support unless their demands are met. Can't they just focus on finding a solution that works for everyone? 
. And what about the poor Palestinian detainees who are still being held without charge? It's like, when are they gonna get justice and freedom? 
. Captives get taken, released, and then suddenly forgotten... except when they're not, lol. The whole situation is just a never-ending cycle of pain and suffering. It's like, what's the point of even trying for peace? 
. I mean, 9,400 "security detainees" or whatever... it's time to open up some communication channels and work out a peaceful solution already 
. Alas, I guess that's just a pipe dream 
. And the numbers of Palestinians being held without trial as "security detainees" are just crazy mind-boggling