Sign of life from hostage Matan Angrest

Nearly 500 days after their capture, new information about the remaining hostages in Gaza is emerging from those recently freed. Combined with intelligence gathered over recent months, these testimonies are giving families a clearer, albeit often distressing, picture of their loved ones' situation. Some families have chosen to keep the information private, citing concerns for their relatives' safety.

Matan Angrest

"We've received confirmation that he's alive, though being held in harsh conditions," Matan's mother told N12 today. The last direct evidence of his survival came on September 14, when he was recorded addressing the Prime Minister: "I trust you can make this prisoner exchange happen - it just requires the will to do so."

Engel, now 21, was serving as a sergeant when captured during the October 7 attack. One of eight Maccabi Haifa fans among the hostages, he has three younger siblings waiting for his return.

Alon Ohel

After 492 days of silence, Ohel's family finally received word that he's alive but in dire circumstances. Sources indicate he's being held in Hamas's underground tunnels, suffering from eye injuries and severe malnutrition.

"While we're relieved to know he's alive, we're devastated by reports of his condition," his family stated. They learned that Ohel has been confined with other hostages who were recently released.

Elkana Buchbut

Buchbut was captured while helping evacuate people from the Nova music festival. His mother revealed that Or Levy, a recently released hostage, spent over a year in captivity with her son. "We finally have confirmation he's alive," she told N12. "Or has messages for us, and we're anxiously waiting to meet with him."

The Berman Twins

The situation for Gali and Ziv Berman, taken from Kfar Aza, is particularly concerning. Their aunt revealed that the twins are being held separately, and both are in life-threatening condition.

**Critical Statistics**

- 17 hostages remain in captivity

- 5 are over age 50

- 9 have known medical conditions or injuries

- 36 hostages have been confirmed deceased

- Only Elia Cohen's survival has been definitively confirmed

The families continue their agonizing wait while negotiations for their loved ones' release continue. Many described feeling both relief at proof of life and horror at the reported conditions of captivity, which include physical abuse, inadequate medical care, and severe psychological trauma.

This information comes as the IDF confirmed yesterday that Shlomo Mansour, previously listed among the hostages, was killed on October 7 and his body remains in Gaza.

The situation remains fluid, with some testimonies dating back several months. Officials stress that conditions may have changed, particularly given the ongoing military operations in Gaza and the deteriorating situation in the region.

Channle 12 contributed to this article.