The last time Meirav Leshem-Gonen spoke to her daughter, Romi, was early Saturday morning when the 23-year-old frantically pleaded for help as gunmen shot at her and her friends as they tried to flee a music festival in southern Israel by car.
In southern Israel on Thursday, Israeli soldiers inspect burned cars at the site of Saturday's attack on the Nova Festival by Hamas gunmen from Gaza. While Israel has previously gone to great lengths and taken huge risks to secure the release of hostages, experts say this situation is unprecedented and complex because the hostages are being held in a war zone and Israel remains determined to punish Hamas for its attacks and brutal killing of more than 1,200 Israelis.
Novik is also an adviser to Israel's National Security Council and a fellow with the Israel Policy Forum, a U.S.-based organization that advocates for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Officials believe a small number of U.S. nationals are among those being held and are working to gather additional details.
"There is a big difference between those who might be holding a hostage and those who are in the high echelons of power."What we know about the Canadians missing or killed after Hamas attack on Israel Most of the hostages were Israeli and nearly all of them survived the ordeal. One Israeli commando was killed in the mission,Dozens of Israelis are being held hostage, many taken from a desert concert near Gaza, and their families are fearing the worst while pleading for their return.