Three families received distressing news after an agonizing 90-day period of uncertainty: their missing loved ones were confirmed to have been kidnapped by Hamas, according to an announcement by IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Hagari during his nightly press briefing. The update disclosed that the tally of hostages held by the terror organization in Gaza had reached 136.
The now designated hostages are Hanan Yablonka, Idan Shtivi, and Ilan Weiss. In a social media post, Hanan Yablonka’s sister shared the official notification of Hanan’s abduction, expressing a fervent hope for his swift return. IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Hagari explained that the decision to classify them as abducted followed a thorough examination of all possible scenarios, pledging to keep the families informed as more information becomes available.
Hanan Yablonka, a 40-year-old father of two from Tel Aviv, had attended the Supernova Festival with friends, including former soccer player Lior Asulin, who tragically lost his life. The family of 28-year-old Idan Shtivi, missing since October 7th, received notification on Thursday that he too had been abducted to Gaza. Shtivi, who volunteered as a photographer at the Supernova festival, had arrived at the site just hours before the tragic events unfolded.
Ilan Weiss, a 50-year-old from Kibbutz Be’eri, was initially reported to have been a victim of the terror organization during the massacre. However, he is now officially classified as abducted.
{Matzav.com Israel}
