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Ofir Engel, an 18-year-old Israeli-Dutch boy who was given accelerated Dutch citizenship, was one of the hostages Hamas released on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Foreign Affairs Minister Hanke Bruins Slot confirmed. The then-17-year-old boy was taken hostage during Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.
The 18-year-old Dutchman Ofir Engel, who was taken hostage by Hamas, is not on the list of hostages who could be released on Sunday, his grandfather told ANP. Jucha Engel hopes that his grandson will be on the list on Monday and says that the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also working hard for Ofir's release. Sunday marks the third day of a four-day pause in fighting between Hamas and Israel. This means that Monday is basically the last day on which the hostages can be released, although negotiations are underway to extend the deal.
Ofir Engel, the 18-year-old Dutchman being held by Hamas, is also not on the list of 14 hostages to be released on Saturday, his grandfather Jucha Engel told the ANP. He says that "unfortunately" he has not yet received any new information about his grandson Ofir. "He is not on the list of those to be released on Saturday," the grandfather said.
A 33-year-old Dutch woman who previously sought help to get out of the Gaza Strip died there on Saturday night, the Dutch foreign affairs minister, Hanke Bruins Slot, confirmed on Sunday. "She was one of 22 people on the ground who was in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for consular support," the minister confirmed on X.
The family of Ofir Engel, an 18-year-old teen abducted by Hamas and urgently granted Dutch nationality this week, is doing everything they can to free him. “We have to keep hope,” his grandfather, 77-year-old Jucha Engel, said from Israel. Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed condolences to the teen’s loved ones.