Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of individuals currently held hostage by (a) Israel and (b) Hamas.

Israel estimates that there are still 132 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, including civilians and military personnel (this includes individuals who are believed deceased but death has not been confirmed). Urgent work is continuing at all levels with regional leaders and others to ensure all the remaining hostages are safely freed. We are not going to give a running commentary on hostage negotiations, which are highly sensitive and ongoing, but we are involved in intensive diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages and working with Israel, the US and others.