Hamas Took More Than 200 Hostages From Israel. Here’s What to Know.

Militants from the Gaza Strip abducted civilians and soldiers in the attack on Israel.Photos of Israelis missing and held captive in Gaza, displayed in Tel Aviv.

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.

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