Palestinian militants who attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,400 people, abducted over 200 civilians and soldiers and brought them back to the Gaza Strip. Israel has taken part in negotiations for the release of hostages while carrying out military efforts to crush Hamas, the militant group that is holding most of them. One month after the abductions, only five hostages had been freed.

Why did Hamas take hostages?

Documents recovered from the bodies of dead militants at the sites of the Oct. 7 attacks point to a deliberate strategy to kill as many people as possible, Israeli officials said. Orders carried by militants sent to one kibbutz showed instructions to “kill as many individuals as possible, and capture hostages until receiving further instructions.”