what we know about the three French people still missing or presumed hostages

France is working to free “all French people who have disappeared or who are hostages,” assured Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Israeli army announced on Friday, December 15, that it had recovered from the Gaza Strip and brought back to Israel the remains of Franco-Israeli Elya Toledano, 28 years old. He was taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7 attack on the Tribe of Nova music festival. He participated with his friend Mia Shem. This Franco-Israeli woman was released as part of a truce agreement at the end of November.

Three French or dual nationals now remain missing or hostages of Hamas. Franceinfo details what we know about their situation.

Missing during the attack, in a kibbutz and at the techno music festival

The identities of French nationals missing since the terrorist attacks of October 7 are known. Here’s what we know about it.

Ofer Kalderon, 53, is the father of Erez and Sahar, hostages who were released. On the day of the attack, they were in Kibbutz Nir Oz, located two kilometers from the Gaza Strip.

Ohad Yahalomi, a 49-year-old Franco-Israeli, is the father of Eitan, also released among the hostages. He is missing after being injured in the attack, according to testimony from Eitan’s mother, Bat-Sheva.

Orion Hernandez-Radoux, a 30-year-old Franco-Mexican tourist, was at the Tribe of Nova festival. He had gone there with a German friend, Shani Louk, who was killed by the Islamists, her mother announced to the German media NTV. During the Hamas attack, Orion Hernandez-Radoux first appeared to have managed to escape by car with another friend, his mother explained to Parisian. “We don’t know how, but we know they were separatedshe said. His friend was found dead three days later, and he was taken to Gaza.”

A status of missing persons or hostages on which France remains discreet

Are these French nationals all alive and captive? Impossible to know for sure. Guest of RTL radio at the end of November, Catherine Colonna deliberately remained evasive on the subject. France is working to free “all the other French people who have disappeared or who are hostages”assured the Minister of Foreign Affairs. “We must be able to find them, give them their freedom, return them to their families”, she added. Why then continue to distinguish between missing persons and presumed hostages?

“We make this distinction out of caution each time we talk about it. Indeed, we have received proof of life concerning certain missing French people, but not with certainty for others.”

Catherine Colonna, Minister of Foreign Affairs

on RTL

“It is prudent to speak of ‘disappeared or hostages’ – hoping of course that all are hostages, and called to be released as quickly as possible”continued the head of French diplomacy. “We are fully mobilized for this.” Asked about the number of French people held hostage, Catherine Colonna also dismissed the question: “We don’t want to say that.”

A vagueness on possible detentions by groups other than Hamas

Qatar announced at the end of November that around forty hostages present in Gaza were not being held by Hamas, but by Islamic Jihad and other armed factions. Asked about this subject, Catherine Colonna mentioned “other individuals who committed abominable abuses”. Are French people among these people who would not find themselves in the hands of Hamas? “We can’t say everything. We shouldn’t say everything”, replied the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Whether or not it holds the hostages present in the Palestinian enclave, Hamas has the responsibility to hand them over to Israel. “He is the interlocutor of Qatar, of Israel, it is up to him to bring them together, to free them and to ensure that everything goes well, in good health conditions”explained Catherine Colonna again.