International hostage envoys meet for talks in Jerusalem

TEL AVIV — Israel’s envoy for hostages met his North American and European counterparts on Tuesday at the start of two days of talks towards the release of dozens of people - and bodies - still being held by the Palestinian militant Hamas movement.

The envoys from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Germany and Austria came to Jerusalem especially for the meeting with Brigadier General Gal Hirsch, who is responsible for hostages and missing people, according to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Talks were also planned with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and relatives of the hostages.

However, it was unclear whether this indicated any imminent progress in the talks on a ceasefire in Gaza and the captives’ return.

There were some recent signs of hope for their release, but these repeatedly ended in disappointment.

According to Israeli sources, the efforts are aimed at returning 100 people. Among them are four Israelis - including two dead soldiers - who have been held by the Palestinian Islamist militia for a decade.

Hamas also wants to use the bodies of dead hostages to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The remaining hostages seized on October 7, 2023, include 83 men, 13 women and two children under 5. Of these, 86 are Israelis, 10 are foreigners - including eight people from Thailand, one Nepalese and one Tanzanian.

The Israeli hostages also include some people with German, U.S. or Russian dual citizenship.