Israel at war: What happened on day 54?

Israel has confirmed the identities of the 10 hostages who were released on Wednesday evening, after 53 days of being held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

An additional two Russian citizens were released by Hamas on Wednesday.

Raya Rotem

Raya Rotem, released from Hamas captivity November 29, 2023 (credit: BRINGTHEMHOMENOW)

Raya Rotem, 54, mother to Hila Rotem, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists during an attack on their community in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7. This attack resulted in the death of an estimated 10% of the residents and the kidnapping of dozens of people.

She was hiding in her safe room with her daughter that morning and sent a message to Raya's brother at 12:05 p.m., informing him that they were being abducted and taken to Gaza.

This was the last communication anyone had with Raya or Hila. 

It wasn't confirmed that they were Hamas hostages until October 29 when their family was informed that they were officially captives in Gaza.

Raz Ben Ami

Raz Ben Ami, 55, and Ohad, 57, were abducted from their home by Hamas in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7 during a violent attack. 

Raz Ben Ami, 57 (credit: Bring Them Home Now)

One of their daughters, Ela, survived and communicated with her father until his abduction.

Both Ohad and Raz were later photographed being pulled by terrorists, and Raz, who has a serious illness, requires medication for pain management, making her situation critical.

Yarden Roman, 36, was also among those released.

Liat Beinin Atzili

American-born couple Liat Beinin Atzili and Aviv Atzili, 49, have been missing from Kibbutz Nir Oz since October 7. Aviv left in the early morning as part of the security response team when Hamas terrorists entered the kibbutz, while Liat remained in their safe room, last contacting a friend at 11:30 a.m.

Liat Beinin Atzili, 49 (credit: Bring Them Home Now)

Aviv's phone was tracked to Gaza, and their house was found burned, though without signs of struggle.

Aviv's mother, Telma Atzili, 78, hid for 10 hours during the attack and is now in Eilat with her grandchildren.

Liam Or

Liam Or, 18, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists along with his cousins and uncle from their home in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7. 

Liam Or, 18 (credit: Bring Them Home Now)

Ofir Engel

Ofir Engel, 17, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists when they attacked his kibbutz on October 7. The Engel family has been missing since then, with the last known communication being with Ofir's mother and her sister when she told her that there were terrorists in their home. 

Ofir Engel (credit: Hostage and Missing Families Forum)

The family's phones were traced to Gaza, and while there were no signs of violence in their home and their dog was alive, their fate remains uncertain. 

Amit Shani

Amit Shani, 16, was staying at his mother's home in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7 when seven Hamas terrorists came into the home and kidnapped him from his room.

According to Amit's father who spoke to BringThemHomeNow, Amit, his mother, and his two sisters were hiding in the safe room when the terrorists came in, threatened them at gunpoint, grabbed Amit, and pushed him into a vehicle with two other hostages.

Amit Shani, 16 (credit: Bring Them Home Now)

Gali Tarshansky

Gali Tarshansky, 13, was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7. Gali and her older brother Lior were hiding in the saferoom when Hamas terrorists came in, killed Lior, and kidnapped Gali. Her dog Moka was also killed.

Gali Tarshansky, 13 (credit: Bring Them Home Now)

Yarden Roman, 36

Yarden Roman, 36, released on November 29, 20233 (credit: BRINGTHEMHOMENOW)

Yarden Roman was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be'eri the morning after she returned to Israel to celebrate Simchat Torah after a trip abroad with her husband, daughter, and sister. Yarden, husband Alon, and daughter Geffen hid in their family's safe room until terrorists broke into their home and loaded them into a car. As they approached the Gaza border, the terrorists paused for a moment, and Alon and Yarden escaped. She handed Geffen to her husband, and the two of them made it to safety, while Yarden was recaptured and abducted to Gaza. 

Itay Regev, 18

Itay Regev, 18, released on November 29, 2023 (credit: BRINGTHEMHOMENOW)

Itay Regev, from Herzliya, was kidnapped from the Nova music festival along with his sister Maya, who was released on Saturday. The morning of the attack, Maya called their father, and screamed, "Dad, they're shooting at me, I'm dead." Itay was later seen in a Hamas video, handcuffed in the back of a vehicle. 

Moran Stela Yanai, 40

Moran Stela Yanai, 40, released on November 29, 2023 (credit: BRINGTHEMHOMENOW)

Moran Yanai, a jewelry designer, was selling her work at the Nova festival on October 7. She made several frightened calls to her parents the morning of the attack, who then lost contact. A video later surfaced showing terrorists taking Yanai from a ditch where she was hiding. Family have described her to media as a caretaker of her elderly parents and a committed animal-rescue activist.

Yelena Trupanob and Irena Tati

Yelena Trupanob (credit: Hostage and Missing Families Forum)

Yelena Trupanob and Irena Tati, two dual Russian-Israeli citizens, were taken hostage by Hamas from their home in Nir Oz on October 7.  Hamas stated on Wednesday afternoon that they were released as a gesture to Russian President Vladimir Putin in addition to the 10 Israelis released as part of the ceasefire deal on Wednesday.

Trupanob's son Sasha and Sasha's partner, Sapir Cohen, are still being held hostage by Hamas. Trupanob's husband, Vitaly, was murdered on October 7.

Russian-Israeli hostage Irena Tati, 73 (credit: Hostage and Missing Families Forum)

IDF soldiers established a synagogue in the heart of the Gaza Strip during the ground invasion, according to Walla. 

The soldiers converted one of the buildings into a space for them to pray. They added benches and a table to place their prayer books.

According to the government press office's documentation, the synagogue was named Abraham Temple and it has a sign inside showing the times for prayer, which are updated daily.

IDF soldiers pray in ancient Gaza synagogue

In early November, IDF soldiers prayed in a 6th-century synagogue in Gaza, the first time in close to two decades that a Jew was allowed to worship at this holy site.

IDF soldiers establish new synagogue in the heart of the Gaza Strip (credit: Amit Segal via Telegram)

The ancient synagogue of Gaza, dating back to 508 CE during the Byzantine period, was unearthed in 1965. Situated in what was once the bustling port city of Gaza, known as "Maiuma" or El Mineh (the harbor) at the time, this historical site now resides within the Rimal district of Gaza City. The Egyptian archaeologists initially identified it as a church, but a remarkable mosaic featuring King David playing a lyre, labeled in Hebrew, was subsequently found.

This mosaic, measuring three meters high and 1.9 meters wide, provided insight into the art and culture of the era. Curiously, it was first mistaken as depicting a female saint playing the harp but was later associated with Orpheus, a figure from Greek mythology, with ties to Jesus or David in Byzantine art.

Sadly, the main figure's face was damaged shortly after its discovery. Following Israel's capture of the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Six-Day War, the mosaic was moved to the Israel Museum for restoration, where it remains a testament to the rich history of the region.

Nowadays, visitors can marvel at the mosaic floor of the synagogue in the Museum of the Good Samaritan, located near the Jerusalem-Jericho Road close to the Israeli settlement of Ma'ale Adumim. One of the most renowned panels on the mosaic floor portrays King David, identified by a Hebrew inscription reading "David," as he plays the lyre with a gathering of docile wild animals before him. 

Zvika Klein contributed to this article.

The IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police eliminated Muhammad Zubeidi, the commander of the Jenin branch of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group, amid armed clashes in Jenin on Wednesday, according to a joint statement by the IDF, Shin Bet, and police.

Zubeidi was carried out several shooting attacks and was involved in extensive terrorist activity, including the attack in which Meir Tamari was murdered near Hermesh in May.

Zubeidi is related to Zakaria Zubeidi, one of the six Palestinian inmates who escaped from Gilboa Prison in 2021.

One of the released hostages will be getting orthopedic surgery and "will need a long rehabilitation," Israeli media reported on Wednesday citing Ichilov Hospital.

The hospital did not specify which hostage it referred to, although clarified that it was a girl. 

Doctors also told the media that some children returned from captivity having lost up to fifteen percent of their body weight. 

A source within Israeli security agencies has suggested that Hamas is attempting to manipulate the current fragile situation and portray kidnapped individuals as being in the hands of other factions in the Gaza Strip, with the aim of preventing the return of Israeli mothers and infants.

"Hamas controls the Gaza Strip. They are the ones responsible for it," the source explained to Walla!, "attempts to shift responsibility and conceal information, as revealed last week when they separated the infant from her mother at the last moment, will not advance negotiations for the release of the kidnapped."

Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi, 22, is expected to be released on Wednesday as part of the hostage-prisoner exchange, according to Israeli media.

Tamimi, who is known for a 2017 video showing her physically confronting IDF soldiers, has become a symbol of Palestinian resistance in pro-Palestine circles. She was arrested November 6 on suspicion of inciting violence and calling for terrorist acts.

Doha seeks to mediate a deal that would allow for the release of all the hostages, as Israel waited to see another ten return home Wednesday night, as part of a process that has so far seen 60 Israelis freed.

Qatar and Egypt, which are mediating indirect talks between Hamas and Israel in Doha with the help of the US are reportedly working on two deals simultaneously with the larger one possibly including an end to the Gaza war that began on October 7 but has been on hold since Friday. 

Two Russian citizens will be part of the hostage exchange deal on Wednesday, according to KAN news.

A senior Hamas official said that the two hostages are being released as a sign of appreciation for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This is a developing story.

Hamas informed the Qatari mediator that they agreed to extend the ceasefire by four more days, according to Israeli media reports.

This is a developing story.

Diplomatic efforts are being made to continue the ceasefire, according to a report from CNN on Wednesday.

The original ceasefire agreement was extended on Monday by another two days, but now Hamas wants to extend it further.