The bodies of a 12-year-old girl and her grandmother were discovered on Wednesday, more than a week after they were among roughly 200 people taken hostage in Israel.
Noya Dan, 12, who had autism, her grandmother Carmela Dan, 80, and three other members of their family were taken hostage by the terrorist groups that carried out the deadliest terrorist attacks in Israel's history on Oct. 7. Both the Israeli government and the family announced that Noya and Carmela's bodies had been found.
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"We are devastated to announce that Noya and her grandmother Carmela’s bodies were discovered yesterday. Thank you to all of you who shared her story to help us bring her home. Our hearts are broken," the Israeli government said on Thursday on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. Days ago, they posted a photo of Noya in a Harry Potter outfit, describing her as a "sensitive, kind, funny, and a massive Harry Potter fan."
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling shared the original Israel post, writing, “Kidnapping children is despicable and wholly unjustifiable. For obvious reasons, this picture has hit home with me. May Noya and all hostages taken by Hamas be returned soon, safely, to their families.”
We are devastated to announce that Noya and her grandmother Carmela’s bodies were discovered yesterday.
— Israel ישראל ???????? (@Israel) October 19, 2023
Thank you to all of you who shared her story to help us bring her home.
Our hearts are broken ????. https://t.co/1I9r4fibsP
Noya's siblings Erez Kalderon, 12, and Sahar Kalderon, 16, and their father Ofer Kalderon, 50, are still missing.
They were among roughly 200 civilians who were taken hostage and taken back to the Gaza Strip. It's widely believed that Hamas holds the vast majority of the hostages, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a separate Gaza-based terrorist group, is said to have a couple dozen as well. It's not clear whether a deal to release them would have to be negotiated between Israel and each group or if there would be one collective agreement.
Kidnapping children is despicable and wholly unjustifiable. For obvious reasons, this picture has hit home with me. May Noya and all hostages taken by Hamas be returned soon, safely, to their families. https://t.co/YIbf3egib4
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 16, 2023
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The U.S. has said Americans are among the hostages, though they haven't specified how many. However, administration officials have said it's a small number.
Hamas officials have said some hostages have been killed in Israel's retaliatory strikes for the terrorist attacks, but have not provided proof. They have also threatened to execute the hostages if the strikes don't stop.