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Saturday, December 16, 2023

Hawaii governor wants 3,000 vacation rentals converted to housing for Maui wildfire survivors

AUDREY McAVOY
Fri, December 15, 2023

Hawaii Wildfire
A vehicle drives by a checkpoint in front of the burn zone, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Recovery efforts continue after the August wildfire that swept through the Lahaina community on Hawaiian island of Maui, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

(AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii Gov. Josh Green on Friday said he wants 3,000 condos and homes that are normally rented to Maui tourists converted to long-term housing for displaced wildfire survivors who are now living in hotels.

Green said he’s prepared to use the “hammer” of post-fire emergency orders to make sure owners of short-term vacation rentals extend them to long-term units if enough spaces aren't converted voluntarily by mid-January.

The governor said that as of Thursday, there were 6,297 residents still living in hotels more than four months after the Aug. 8 wildfire wiped out historic Lahaina. The vast majority don't have anywhere else to go given the extreme housing shortage on Maui.

The lack of stable housing has been a source of stress for Lahaina residents, some of whom have had to switch hotel rooms multiple times since the fire. One group is camping out on Kaanapali Beach in front of resort hotels and vows to stay there until short-term rentals are converted for the use of residents.

Green said a combination of county tax incentives and generous rent subsidies offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency should help.

FEMA on Monday sent letters to 13,000 short-term rental operators across Maui informing them the agency would offer to pay them the same rent they earned during the previous year for their units, Green said.

In addition, the Maui County Council is currently considering legislation for property tax breaks promoted by the mayor.

“So there is no reason at all for people not to take this opportunity provided they want to be a helpful part of the solution,” Green said.

Green said he aims for these measures to provide interim housing for two years while more housing is built on Maui.

There are currently between 12,000 to 14,000 units legally rented on a short-term basis on Maui, according to Green. Including illegal ones, he estimated there could be nearly 25,000.

“So we really only need to get about 10%, maybe 12%, of all the available short term units on Maui,” he said.

Ideally, officials could rent out an entire building or an entire timeshare property, he said.

FEMA will pay for units rented to about 2,000 families. The state of Hawaii and private philanthropists will cover rent for the remaining 1,000 families who are undocumented or are citizens from so-called Compact of Free Association states and who aren't eligible for FEMA aid, Green said.

He didn't have an estimate for how much this would cost. He said it would depend on how many rentals become available.

The governor plans to release details of his new budget proposals at a news conference on Monday.

Green said it is currently costing $350-500 a day to house one family in a hotel room, once food and services are included.

Jason Momoa on How to Help Maui Wildfire Recovery This Holiday Season: 'Respect the Culture' (Exclusive)
Jack Smart
Sat, December 16, 2023 The biggest thing those looking to help can do "is to educate yourself," Jason Momoa tells PEOPLE

Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagicJason Momoa in 2022

Hawaii-born star Jason Momoa takes every opportunity to support the communities that were impacted by the Maui wildfires — and wants to keep people informed on how they can help, too.

“The biggest thing,” he tells PEOPLE, “is to educate yourself.”

The 44-year-old Aquaman star, who was born in Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu and raised in Iowa, says that those looking to provide aid should do so while “having the proper respect.”

“I think that's the big thing in Hawaii,” says Momoa. “It's just respecting the culture, respecting the people who need the space.”

Related: 100-Year-Old Wooden House Unscathed After Deadly Maui Fires: 'Looks Like It Was Photoshopped In'

Of his own visit to Maui after the fires, he says by way of example, “I waited for my family to be invited in properly.” He reiterates the main point: “Respect the culture.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

On Aug. 9, Momoa published his first of many posts on social media informing followers about the fires. The natural disaster has since been classified as the worst in Hawaii state history and the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century.

“We are devastated and heartbroken for our friends and ‘ohana [family] on Maui who have been impacted by the recent wildfires,” Momoa wrote on Instagram, including a link to the nonprofit ‘Āina Momona, which is raising money to support Maui residents.

County Of Maui/ZUMA Press WireWildfires on Lahaina, Maui on Aug. 9, 2023

Related: Dwayne Johnson Says He's 'Completely Heartbroken' by Hawaii Wildfires as Death Toll Continues to Rise

Momoa has also been directing donors to the People’s Fund of Maui, which was established by Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson and provides eligible residents of Lahaina and Kula $1,200 a month. “I've been doing everything from [my platforms] to go to People's Fund of Maui, because I know it's going… directly to families,” he tells PEOPLE.

“When we were hurting, it was really beautiful to see everybody come together,” he adds of the donations that have come in since August.

But Momoa has other ways of getting financial support to residents of the island. All proceeds from his collaboration with clothing brand Da Hui, the Aloha J Collection, go directly to families affected by the fires.

“I like being able to give something that people can buy, [or] share from afar” he says, noting that the holiday season is right around the corner. Shoppers looking to make a positive difference can “take that home," he adds.

As an onscreen superhero and powerhouse Hollywood producer, too, Momoa looks for ways to support and promote his birthplace. “Hawaii's been a big place to make movies, but not really to highlight Hawaiian stories,” he points out.

In addition to a Hawaii-set buddy comedy with Dave Bautista, an upcoming Momoa project is Chief of War — an Apple TV+ miniseries about the unification of the Hawaiian kingdoms —which he co-created and executive produced with fellow Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom writer Thomas Pa'a Sibbett.

Related: Jason Momoa Reveals 'That's a Wrap' on 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' in Hawaii
VCG/VCG via Getty
Jason Momoa on Dec. 9

“This has been my dream,” Momoa says, “to be able to get the money to pull off something at that level. Now, we've just got to get people to watch it.”

The multi-hyphenate adds he’s “very proud” of the series, set to premiere in 2024. “It's my everything," he says.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be in theaters Dec. 22.

Steve Jobs Was Savage As An Employer And A Person — During Mass Layoffs, An Early Employee Pleaded Him To Give 2 Weeks Notice — His Response: 'OK, But The Notice Is Retroactive From Two Weeks Ago'

Jeannine Mancini
Fri, December 15, 2023

Steve Jobs, known for his groundbreaking work at Apple Inc., was equally famous for his no-nonsense approach, often pushing boundaries to achieve excellence. His forthright style was instrumental in driving innovation, though it sometimes led to tough situations. He held no punches, and some of his actions were tough but effective.

An example of Jobs’s direct approach was during a meeting with VLSI Technology Inc., a chip company lagging in deliveries. Jobs confronted the issue head-on with a colorful choice of words, calling them "f***ing d**kless a**holes.”

Gamers are selling their old gaming items for millions. Learn why everyday gamers and investors are claiming a stake in their side hustles and how they invested over $1.2 million in this startup.

The confrontation seemingly spurred the company into action, leading to timely deliveries. The incident even became a quirky anecdote among the executives, who created jackets labeled "Team FDA."

Jobs’s penchant for straightforward feedback was also evident during the launch of the Bondi Blue iMac. Unhappy with the print ad’s color, he didn’t mince words with his friend and ad partner Lee Clow, saying, “You guys don’t know what you’re doing.” However, upon reviewing the original photos and print ads, Jobs acknowledged his mistake and backed down, showing his ability to admit when he was wrong.

His high standards extended beyond work. Once, when Jony Ive, chief design officer of Apple at the time, booked him a room in a luxurious London hotel, Jobs was quick to express his dissatisfaction. Shortly after checking in, he called Ive to say, "I hate my room. It's a piece of sh*t, let's go," showcasing his honesty and refusal to settle for anything less than perfect.

Jobs’s direct approach was apparent during a challenging period at Pixar Animation Studios. Faced with the need to make cutbacks, Jobs let go of some employees. When Pamela Kerwin, an early Pixar employee, implored Jobs to provide at least two weeks’ notice, Jobs’ response was ruthless. He said, “OK, but the notice is retroactive from two weeks ago.”

Jobs’s straightforward nature was also seen in more casual settings. In a story shared by Ive, Jobs critiqued an employee, an older woman, for the way she was making a smoothie at Whole Foods. This moment of harshness was later met with a sense of regret. Ive, who witnessed the event, noted that Jobs felt bad after realizing the impact of his words on someone who might not have been content in her job.

While his directness was a key part of his management style, Jobs’s approach was about more than being tough; it was about striving for the best, whether in product design, advertising or his personal experiences. His legacy, marked by a series of revolutionary products and a unique approach to leadership, continues to influence how people think about innovation and excellence.

© 2023 Benzinga.com.

The debauchery of Fort Worth’s Hell’s Half Acre took no holidays, not even on Christmas

Richard Selcer
Sat, December 16, 2023

Hell’s Half-Acre was Fort Worth’s notorious red-light district from the 1870s through World War I, located on the south end of town. It was a gathering place for the worst elements of society, a lawless section of town where decent folks did not venture.

Still, the city had a love-hate relationship with “the Acre” because it was also a cash cow, a mixture of commercial properties and private houses taken over for nefarious purposes. Those houses could be rented for $15 a week and turned into bars, bordellos, and gambling dens. Liquor licenses and public-health certificates were optional.

Christmas night 1906 was a typical night in the Acre with one difference: an unidentified reporter for the Fort Worth Record went on a fact-finding tour for a feature story, which would be written in a tone of moral outrage over “the vilest and most abandoned sink hole of iniquity anywhere.”

His tour guide and bodyguard was police Chief of Detectives Al Ray, who claimed to know all the worst haunts and lowest characters in the Acre. The first thing that struck the reporter was the “rows and rows of houses given over to the most depraved and vicious of men and women.” The rest of the evening followed the same script.

Each of the dives they visited — the Standard, the Black Elephant, the Cave — had a story to tell. The Standard was so named because it was supposed to be the gold standard for “vaudeville theater” in the city, but the reporter characterized it as “a den of iniquity” where the shows and the clientele were equally degenerate, made worse by the fact that the proprietor was a woman, Maggie DeBeque. The Black Elephant was a different version of the uptown saloon called the White Elephant because it catered to a Black clientele. The Cave was a hangout for “cripples” when they weren’t working their “con games” on the street.

The reporter was the most derisive of Marion Warren’s unnamed dive, where Black and white people of both sexes were patrons.

It wasn’t just the brazenly immoral behavior on every hand that shocked him; it was the dives themselves where the sheer filth and “nauseating smells” overwhelmed the senses. The smells included clouds of smoke from “foul cigars” that could be purchased at the tobacco stand for an exorbitant 50 cents each. Most saloons had the traditional “free lunch” counter available to any customer who purchased a drink, but in these places the sandwiches were stale and the hands reaching for them unwashed.

Murder, suicide were common

The lowest of the low took their fun in the Acre, where the liquor and the women were both cheap and life was short.

The latest murder had been only a week earlier. And suicide was as common as murder. Among the Acre’s working girls, it was so common as to be hardly newsworthy. A little laudanum laced with morphine made passage to the next world painless and left a peaceful-looking corpse.

The Acre was also home to petty thieves, thugs, holdup men, assassins, and hustlers. Some of them, he noted, actually went by their real names. They were a “hard-faced” lot of men and boys and “repulsive” women.

The reporter concluded that everyone he met was either going to jail or had just gotten out. One of them button-holed Detective Ray to ask nervously, “You ain’t looking for me, are you?” He had only been released from jail that morning.

Any man who walked into one of these joints with a roll of cash had little chance of still having it when he walked out – if he was able to walk out. Many a man was found the next day lying in a back alley either drugged or beaten senseless. Mickey Finns (“knockout drops”) were a standard bar drink in these places. Victims were reluctant to go to the police because they did not want the embarrassing publicity, so they kept quiet.

The Acre rocked all night long, and Christmas night was no exception. Only with the coming of dawn did things slow down but only until darkness fell again. The Acre took no time off for Sundays or holidays. On this Christmas night, no one worried about being home in bed when Santa Claus came. Santa didn’t visit the denizens of the Acre.

The police knew all about the Acre. But for a variety of reasons, they did not shut it down. For one thing, many officers were in the pocket of the vice operators. For another, many of the property owners were respectable citizens with connections at city hall. Instead of arresting people, police were more likely to order the prostitutes and gamblers out of town. That was no problem because the departed’s place was quickly taken by others in the same line of work.

Butch Cassidy, the Sunday Kid and the Wild Bunch likely visited

Even when police made arrests, the jail had a revolving door that let the miscreant right back on the street as soon as they paid a small fine. Occasionally police made a foray into the Acre to retrieve some poor lad seduced by the siren call of illicit thrills and return him to his mother. For “Wanted” felons, the Acre was a good place to hide out because its population was generally anti-authority. In 1901 the Wild Bunch (Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and friends) came through town and doubtless spent time in the Acre with no one inquiring too closely about the strangers.

All this went on just a few blocks from where respectable folks went to church and lived upright lives.

In a few years, there would be talk in Fort Worth of carving out a “Reservation” where prostitution, gambling, and girly shows could operate openly while strictly segregated from the rest of the town. That proposal in 1909 was narrowly voted down by the city council.

The Record reporter survived his visit to Hell’s Half Acre, and his report took up most of two pages in the newspaper a few days later. He intended his expose to arouse public opinion against the Acre, but in fact newspaper stories like this just made the Acre a more desirable place for the adventurous to visit while advertising its offerings to the more depraved. Young blades who wanted to test their manhood, travelers looking for a little fun away from home, and girls fresh off the farm with big dreams were drawn to it.

The Acre welcomed them all, and on the day after Christmas, it started all over again.

Author-historian Richard Selcer is a Fort Worth native and proud graduate of Paschal High and TCU.

WHEN PORN IS SEX EDUCATON
Choking, smothering, slapping: More teens are having rough sex. Here’s why.

WHEN SEX ED IS BANNED IN SCHOOL

Debby Herbenick
Updated Thu, December 14, 2023

Teens and young adults are getting the message that rough sex is common, expected and desirable. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Getty Images)

As a sexuality researcher and college professor, I have a unique window into young people’s sexual lives. One of the most significant changes to teenage sexuality that I’ve seen in recent years has to do with the increase of “rough sex” — a trend influenced by widely accessible pornography, popular erotica such as Fifty Shades of Gray and social media.

Given how widespread rough sex has become among young people and some of the harms I’ve seen, I’m convinced that every parent, caregiver and educator needs to know about this trend — even if (and perhaps especially if) they cannot fathom their teenager would ever try it.

What is rough sex?

As I describe in my new book, Yes, Your Kid: What Parents Need to Know About Today’s Teens and Sex, the term “rough sex” refers to a diverse group of sex acts such as choking, smothering, spanking and slapping. For sexual activities that occur between women and men, the woman is nearly always the person on the receiving end of rough sex, and the man is nearly always the person doing the choking or slapping or smothering. However, rough sex happens between people of all genders and sexual orientations. Some teens begin exploring rough sex early in their development, such as when they start making out. For others, the exploration begins as they become more sexually experienced.

Rough sex as a new norm

In my research, I’ve found that many young people think that sex is supposed to be rough. According to a recent national survey from Common Sense Media, the average age at which young people first see pornography, whether on purpose or by accident, is 12 years old. Given how easy it is to access pornography (the Pew Research Center finds that 95% of teenagers have access to a smartphone), many teens watch pornography for several years before becoming sexually active with a partner. These repeated exposures can create a sense of how sex is “supposed” to play out — especially when what young people see online is not balanced by sexuality education at home or in schools.

Indeed, when we’ve asked college students why they engage in rough sex, they generally say that they engage in it because it feels exciting or adventurous, or that it’s just the way that sex is done these days. Young people sometimes describe worrying they will be “vanilla shamed” — written off as boring — if they’re not into rough sex. Some young men worry they won’t be viewed as masculine if they don’t choke or slap their partner.

Where are they getting the message that rough sex is common, expected and desirable? Young men often describe learning about rough sex from pornography, whereas young women often describe learning about rough sex from social media memes, TikTok and fan fiction. Teens also learn about rough sex from friends, partners, television shows like Euphoria and The Idol, and popular music (Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” is a recent example).

Just how common is rough sex?

Young people who consider rough sex to be the norm these days aren’t entirely wrong. In a 2020 survey of 4,998 undergraduate students representative of college campuses, my colleagues and I found that about 80% of students had engaged in rough sex, and most described liking it. One of the most common forms of rough sex is widely referred to as “choking” even though it is technically a form of strangulation because it involves external pressure to the neck rather than internal blockage of the airways.

People who engage in choking usually use one hand to press against or squeeze their partner’s neck; less often, they use their forearm or a ligature, such as a belt or tie. Although many articles advise readers to press against the sides of the neck as a safer form of choking (it is less risky than pressing on the windpipe), pressing on the sides of the neck still reduces blood flow to the brain. Because blood carries oxygen, glucose and other nutrients to the brain, depriving the brain of blood flow can be harmful.

Although choking — which is a form of erotic asphyxiation — is not a new sexual practice, it used to be quite rare. Even in BDSM and kink communities, sexual asphyxiation was long regarded as too risky, and it was often advised against. Some studies suggest that even as recently as the 2000s, less than 5% of people had ever engaged in erotic asphyxiation.

Times have changed, however. In a 2021 U.S. nationally representative survey, we found that 1 in 3 women age 18 to 24 were choked the last time they had sex. Among college students, about two-thirds of women have been choked during sex, as have nearly one-third of men and about half of transgender and gender nonbinary students. About one-quarter of these students were first choked between the ages of 12 and 17. While most parents would find it difficult to imagine that their teenager or young adult child could be engaging in rough sex, the reality is that it’s happening.

What parents need to know about teens and rough sex

Given what I’ve learned from both my research and my college students, here is what I think parents need to know. First, parents need to understand how mainstream rough sex and choking have become. Their teenager is not a bad person if they are interested in rough sex or have tried it; they are likely just responding to the world around them or even a request from a partner. Second, parents should share with their teens that some forms of rough sex can be harmful and should be avoided. Choking/strangulation can cause injury and death. Contrary to what many articles say, there’s truly no entirely “safe” or zero-risk way to choke. Choking has been linked with short-term and long-term health problems. In one study I conducted, 15% of young people who had ever been choked reported experiencing neck bruising. Also, 3% had lost consciousness, which often means the person has experienced a traumatic brain injury. But it’s not just choking: Being slapped on the face or head can lead to concussion and eye injury.

Because about 40% of people who have been choked have found it difficult to breathe or to speak, parents should also talk with their teens about how choking/strangulation can interfere with a person’s ability to give consent or to ask someone to stop. They should share that even if a person’s partner consents to rough sex, they could be held responsible if they accidentally injure or kill their partner during rough sex. High-risk forms of rough sex — including choking/strangulation — are best avoided altogether.

Finally, it’s important to try to remain calm when talking with teens about sex. Fear-based approaches to sensitive topics — whether that's alcohol, drugs or sex — are often ineffective. Instead, it can help to share fact-based information in a way that shows you care about them and their friends or partner and just want to help them stay safe.

Debby Herbenick is a provost professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health and an AASECT-certified sexuality educator.

Women and children first? Experts say that in most crises, it's more like everyone for themselves

LAURIE KELLMAN
Updated Sat, December 16, 2023

Women and Children First?
Francesco Schettino attends his trial at the Grosseto court, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2015. The captain of the capsized Costa Concordia, who left the sinking luxury liner when many passengers were still aboard, has been convicted of multiple charges of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in jail. The phrase "Women and children first" and all it implies about whom to save first in a disaster is rooted in the shipwrecks of centuries past and popularized by Hollywood's treatment of the Titanic disaster is getting another airing at a time when women are expected to do most everything men do. Experts say the unwritten law of the sea is a Hollywood-fed myth and a relic of Victorian-era chivalry. At the center of this round of questions is the prisoners-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas last month that prioritized releasing women and children after negotiators agreed that mothers and their children should not be separated.

(AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

LONDON (AP) — So much for women and children first.

The phrase and its grave implications about who to save first in a catastrophe are rooted in the shipwrecks of centuries past and popularized by Hollywood's treatment of the Titanic disaster. It is getting another airing at a time when, in many societies, women are expected to do most everything men do. Experts say the unwritten law of the sea is a Hollywood-fed myth and a relic of Victorian-era chivalry.

At the center of this round of questions is the prisoners-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas in November that prioritized releasing women and children after negotiators agreed that mothers and their children should not be separated. Israelis are overwhelmingly supportive of this approach. But it leaves behind elderly and injured men during the most chaotic phase of the war, a result that has angered some families. On Friday, Israel said the army had mistakenly killed three of the remaining hostages, all men.

“To say ‘women and children’ in the 21st century — as if families can be whole without the fathers, as if children that have come back with their fathers still there can in any way start recovering from the trauma — is unthinkable," Sharone Lifshitz, whose mother was freed in October and whose 83-year-old father, Oded, remains in captivity, told The Associated Press.

Of about 240 people who were kidnapped during Hamas' Oct. 7 rampage, 86 Israelis were released. Seventeen Thai men also were let go. That left 119 men — many of them injured or elderly — and 17 women and children as hostages in Gaza.

In a private meeting on Dec. 5, Israeli media reported, the families of the remaining captives ripped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for agreeing to prioritize women and children — then resuming Israel’s bombardment of Gaza with no known plans to negotiate the release of anyone else.

“You think the men are strong? It’s too hard for them. Bring them all home," Sharon Cunio, whose husband, David, and other family members are still hostages, told Netanyahu and Israel’s war cabinet, according to local media.

WHAT'S BEHIND THE NOTION?

"Children first" seems to be a widely agreed-upon crisis action plan, whether it's a rescue from a natural disaster or a hostage-taking. And women and children generally pay an outsized price in crises: The death toll from Israel's bombardment of Gaza tops 18,700 — around two-thirds of them women and children.

But other standards, such as women before men, can lead to fraught judgments about whose lives are most valuable — and reflect the human impulse to sort each other.

Experts say the choice nowadays often is to save the most vulnerable first, which would include children but also older people and those who are sick and the injured, no matter their gender. When everyone can’t be rescued at once, the critical factors seem to be the exercise of leadership and all players making a choice — typically between themselves and others.

Other dynamics weigh heavily, such as how much time people have before a ship sinks as well as the societal and cultural norms of the people involved.

“What is considered ‘valuable’ is determined by the actors controlling the situation,” says Edward Galea, a professor at the University of Greenwich who specializes in evacuation and human behavior. In a fire or other disaster, it's those directly involved — say, a ship captain or passengers. In a hostage situation, he says, “it's external actors" — in the case of the Gaza war, it's intense politics and a watching world.

“For example, it could be considered valuable to be seen to attempt to release the most vulnerable first or to release women and children first or to be gender and age neutral,” Galea said in an email. There's no law or regulation that says women and children must be saved first; rather, he's said, it's a tradition ingrained by Hollywood.

In real time, human behavior in catastrophes often plays out more like every person for themselves, according to experts who have studied the dynamics. There's often no time to consider who belongs to which group, or to fight over terms as in a wartime hostage release. Leadership is key; someone has to go first.

In Italy in 2012, that someone was Francesco Schettino, the captain of the luxury liner Costa Concordia who slammed it into a reef, capsizing off the Tuscan island of Giglio. Thirty-two people died. Schettino is serving a 16-year prison sentence for manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning a ship before all the passengers and crew had evacuated.

On the Israel-Hamas prisoners-for-hostages deal, the negotiators agreed that mothers and children should not be separated. Hamas, which broke hostage-taking norms by abducting women and children, was more open to their release because they were getting in the way. Not all women were released, however: Some are in the army, and some have died.

After Israel resumed its bombing of Gaza on Dec. 1, Netanyahu reportedly told the families of the male hostages that Hamas was now making demands that even they, the relatives of those still missing, would not have accepted in exchange for their loved ones.

A LONG HISTORY OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST

The women-and-children ethos is widely attributed to the 1852 sinking of the HMS Birkenhead a few miles off the coast of South Africa. In the wee hours of Feb. 25, with about 638 people aboard, the steam paddler hit a rock off Danger Point. Water flooded the forward hull and the equipment used to lower most of the lifeboats malfunctioned, according to accounts at the time.

British Lt. Col. Alexander Seton, 38, is widely credited with understanding as the ship sank that fleeing men would swamp the few functioning lifeboats, which were filled with women and children.

He gave the order to his crew: "I implore you not to do this thing and I ask you all to stand fast.” They did, according to multiple survivor accounts. Britain's National Army Museum says the 193 survivors included all 26 women and children aboard.

Thus was born what became known as “the Birkenhead drill,” whereby women and children were saved first in shipwrecks. “To stand an’ be still to the Birken’ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew,” Rudyard Kipling wrote in 1896.

The drill would become most closely associated with the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912, killing at least 1,500 of the more than 2,200 people aboard. Accounts differ, but testimony from the inquiries afterward indicates that someone or someones — from Capt. Edward Smith to various passengers — prioritized putting women and children into the lifeboats, of which there were not enough to evacuate everyone aboard.

In the end, 70% of the women and children were saved compared to only 20% of the men, according to a 2012 study by two economists at Uppsala University in Sweden. The 1997 movie “Titanic” immortalized the order when actor Leonardo DiCaprio says the words “women and children first” during a key scene.

That's not how evacuations and rescues tend to play out in real life, according to one of the authors of the 2012 study, which looked at 18 maritime disasters over three centuries. The Titanic was the exception, according to Mikael Elinder, because leadership had an effect on the behavior of the crew.

“We don't see this in most shipwrecks, just chaos,” Elinder said. “When there is a threat to loss of life, one tries to save oneself."

In most shipwrecks, the study found, women have a survival disadvantage compared with men. Captains and crew survive at a significantly higher rate than passengers. And it turned out that some survivors later spoke of men trying to save themselves.

And there were other distinctions made, according to Lucy Delap of Cambridge University, a historian of feminism in the United States and Britain.

“It turned out that not all women were equally deserving of protection at sea,” she wrote in 2012. “Lower-class women — wives of sailors or soldiers, or poor emigrant women — were frequently excluded from the rule, and women of color were equally marginalized.”

___

Associated Press writer Julia Frankel contributed from Jerusalem. Laurie Kellman is based in London for The Associated Press. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman

Israel social security data reveals true picture of Oct 7 deaths

Michael Blum
Fri, December 15, 2023

Israeli soldiers pay their respects to those killed or taken hostage by Hamas at the Supernova music festival (Menahem KAHANA)

A more precise picture of Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel has emerged from social security data, confirming the unprecedented scale of the violence but also challenging some initial testimonies.

The final death toll from the attack is now thought to be 695 Israeli civilians, including 36 children, as well as 373 security forces and 71 foreigners, giving a total of 1,139.

This excludes five people, among them four Israelis, still listed as missing by the prime minister's office.

The violence began when armed men from the Palestinian Islamist movement broke through the militarised border with Gaza on Shabbat, the last day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

Under the cover of thousands of rockets fired from Gaza, they killed indiscriminately in streets, houses, kibbutz communities and at a rave music festival.

It took more than three days of heavy fighting for the Israeli army to regain control, and left the country deeply traumatised by violence unseen since the country's formation in 1948.

Police are still working to assess the scale of the sexual violence that was reported alongside the killings.

On October 14, Israeli authorities announced a preliminary toll of more than 1,400 people killed by "Hamas terrorists".

On November 10, the foreign ministry published an "updated estimate", saying the number "murdered in cold blood" was around 1,200 people, without further details.

With many of the bodies mutilated or burned beyond recognition -- including entire families in their homes -- it has taken forensic doctors weeks to identify them all.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas in response to the attack. Its air and ground offensive has killed more than 18,700 people, mostly women and children, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, and left much of the territory in ruins.

- Social security figures -

The identities and ages of civilian victims are available via Bituah Leumi, Israel's social security agency.

Its website lists 695 people killed during the attack, with names and the circumstances of their deaths.

Among them are 36 children, including 20 under 15 years old and 10 killed by rockets.

The youngest victim was 10-month-old Mila Cohen, shot and killed at Kibbutz Beeri.

An entire family, including three children aged between two and six, were killed in their home at Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Elsewhere, two brothers aged five and eight were shot dead in their car with their parents.

A five-year-old boy was killed in the street by a rocket.

The data gives a clear picture of the scale of the atrocities at the Supernova music festival in Reim where 364 people were killed.

But it also invalidates some statements by Israeli authorities in the days following the attack.

In particular, a claim made on October 10 on the government's official X (formerly Twitter) account spoke of "40 babies murdered" at Kfar Aza kibbutz, based on a report by i24NEWS channel.

Questioned by AFP the following day, Israel's foreign ministry, which runs the X account, said it could not "confirm any number at this stage".

According to Bituah Leumi, 46 civilians were killed in Kfar Aza, the youngest 14 years old.

Another testimony called into question was that on October 27 by Colonel Golan Vach, head of the army's search and rescue unit, who told a group of journalists, including one from AFP, that he "personally" transported "a decapitated baby" found in the arms of his mother in the Beeri kibbutz.

According to Bituah Leumi, only one baby was killed in Beeri: the 10-month-old Mila Cohen, whose mother survived.

Army spokespersons did not respond to queries by AFP.

- Trauma and 'misinterpretation' -

The extreme nature of the violence can make it hard for responders to be accurate in their testimonies, said members of Zaka, an emergency response NGO that helped collect victims' bodies.

"When we find bodies that are burned or in a state of decomposition, we can easily be mistaken and think the body is a child's," said Haim Otmazgin, a Zaka leader.

One Zaka volunteer had, for example, spoken on October 11 of 20 children with their "hands tied in the back, shot and burned" in Beeri, but ultimately only nine children died there.

"Our volunteers were confronted with traumatic scenes and sometimes misinterpreted what they saw," said Otmazgin.

There were also 71 foreign victims on October 7, mostly Thai workers.

And in the fighting to regain control of southern Israel, 58 police, 10 members of internal security service Shin Bet, and 305 soldiers were killed, including several dozen unarmed soldiers guarding the border with Gaza.

Israel counts both soldiers killed in action and off-duty soldiers in its military casualties, and so these figures include, for example, some who died at the Supernova festival or while visiting their family in the south.

The Bituah Leumi data does not distinguish between those killed by Hamas and civilians killed by Israeli forces in the fighting to retake control of southern Israel, an operation in which the army used shells and rockets on inhabited areas, according to testimonies collected by AFP and Israeli media.

It is also unclear how many Palestinian militants were killed on Israeli soil.

The army said on October 10 that it had found "around 1,500 bodies" of attackers, without giving further details. The army and defence ministry did not respond to queries from AFP on this topic.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Hamas second-in-command Saleh al-Aruri said "around 1,200 fighters" took part in the October 7 attack.

Israel also faces the ongoing trauma of some 250 hostages who were dragged back to Gaza in the attack, according to Israeli authorities.

Since then, 110 have been released, most during a one-week truce in November, and eight bodies of hostages have been returned.

Israel says Hamas still holds 132 hostages, including 19 presumed dead.

bur-mib/mj/gab/er/dv

Hamas hostages: Stories of the people taken from Israel

BBC
Fri, December 15, 2023 at 1:00 PM MST·23 min read

The Israeli military says it killed three hostages who were being held in Gaza after they were "mistakenly identified as a threat" in the northern town of Shejaiya.

They have been identified as: Yotam Haim, 28, and Alon Shamriz, 26, who were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Samer Talalka, 22, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Am.

The bodies have been returned to Israel.

The Israeli military says the incident is under investigation. Its statement says that "the IDF expresses deep remorse over the tragic incident and sends the families its heartfelt condolences".

An estimated 240 people were taken prisoner by Hamas on 7 October.

During a six-day ceasefire at the end of November, 105 hostages were released. Israel has said that some of the hostages who are still unaccounted for are believed to be dead.

Who are the released Israeli hostages?

'I’m not ready to lose hope': The hostages still in Gaza

These are the stories of hostages still being being held, which have been either confirmed by the BBC or credibly reported.

This list is regularly updated and names may change, as some people feared kidnapped are confirmed to have been killed or released.

Last updated on 15 December 2023 at 19:30 GMT

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Yagev Kirsht, 34, was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nirim, alongside his wife, Rimon Buchstab Kirsht. She has now been released.

Alexander Trupanov, was taken hostage with his mother Lena Trupanov, 50, his partner Sapir Cohen, 29, and his grandmother Irina Tati, 73. All were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz as they spent the Sabbath together, according to a statement by Canada's Raoul Wallenburg Center for Human Rights. Irina and Lena were released on Wednesday 29 November and Sapir was freed the next day.

Ariel Cunio, his girlfriend Arbel Yahud and her brother Dolev are also thought to have been abducted in the same attack on Nir Oz. Eitan Cunio, Ariel's brother who escaped Hamas, told the Jewish Chronicle that his last message from Ariel said: "We are in a horror movie."

David Cunio, 33, another of Ariel's brothers, was also kidnapped from Nir Oz, family say. David's wife Sharon Aloni Cunio and their three-year-old twin daughters Ema and Yuly were released on 27 November. Sharon's sister Daniele Aloni, and her six-year-old daughter Emilia were both released on 24 November.

Doron Steinbrecher, 30, a veterinary nurse, was in her apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Aza when Hamas attacked, the Times of Israel reported. At 10:30 on 7 October, the newspaper said, she sent a voice message to friends: "They've arrived, they have me."

Itzhak Gelerenter, 53, was taken from the Supernova festival. His family said the IDF found his phone was located in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported. His daughter Pivko told the paper: "I'm trying to think good thoughts, I have a powerful, smart, resourceful father."

Naama Levy, 19, was filmed being bundled into a jeep, her hands tied behind her back. The footage was released by Hamas and circulated widely on social media. According to her mother, the teenager had just begun her military service.

Yousef Zyadna, a 53-year-old Bedouin dairy farmer, was abducted from Kibbutz Holit and taken to Gaza along with his sons Hamza, 22, and Bilal, 18, and his daughter, Aisha, 16. Aisha and Bilal were released on Thursday 30 November.

Elad Katzir, 47, was abducted from Nir Oz with his mother Hanna. Hanna has now been released.

Ohad Ben Ami, 55, was kidnapped from Be'eri with his wife, Raz. She was released by Hamas on 29 November.

Twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, 26, were taken from Kfar Aza. Ziv was messaging a friend as the attack happened. Their family said the IDF has told them the brothers are being held in Gaza. Their brother Liran told CBN news the pair had "twin power" and were the centre of attention wherever they went.

Iraq-born Shlomo Mansour, 85, was taken captive from Kibbutz Kissufim, where he lived and worked as a chicken coop manager. His wife, Mazal, managed to escape.

Michel Nisenbaum, 59, is a dual Brazilian-Israeli citizen who has lived in Israel for 45 years and works as a computer technician, his family told Brazilian media. They also say he is diabetic and has Crohn's disease. On 7 October, they say, someone claiming to be from Hamas answered his phone when they tried to call him.

Daniela Gilboa, 19, sent messages saying that Kibbutz Nahal Oz, where she was staying, was under attack and asked her mother to pray for her. Her boyfriend, Roy Dadon, told the Economist 1843 magazine that he believes he saw a glimpse of her in a video showing three girls being driven away in the back of an SUV.

Itay Chen, 19, a dual US-Israeli citizen and IDF solider, was on active duty with a tank unit on 7 October, according to the Times of Israel. The paper reported that his family was notified by the IDF that he is officially considered missing in action and probably being held hostage. Another soldier in his unit, Matan Angrest, 21, is also presumed to be in Gaza.

Yosi Sharabi, 51, was taken from Be'eri with his brother, Eli Sharabi, 55. Eli's wife and two daughters were murdered in the attack. Ofir Engel, the boyfriend of Yosi's daughter, Yuval, was also taken, but released on 29 November.

Agam Berger, 19, was kidnapped from Nahal Oz. She was seen being taken away in videos released by Hamas.

Edan Alexander, 19, is an Israeli-US citizen who volunteered to join the Israeli army. He was serving near the Gaza border at the time of Hamas's attack. Edan's family said they had been told by Israeli officials that he had been taken to Gaza as a hostage.

Kaid Farhan Elkadi, 53, lives with his family south of Rahat and worked as a security guard, according to Israeli media. Reports said his family believes he was kidnapped and taken to Gaza, based on images shared by Hamas.

Ilana Gritzewsky and Matan Zanguaker were captured near the Gaza border, family say

Matan Zanguaker, 24, was taken with his partner Ilana Gritzewsky, 30, from Nir Oz, according to Ilana's father. Ilana, a Mexican national, was released on Thursday 30 November.

Eitan Horn, 37, and his brother Yair, 45, both Argentinian citizens, were also in Nir Oz at the time of the attack. Their father Itzik said he believes they were kidnapped. Yair is a construction worker while Eitan works in education.

Itai Svirsky, 38, is thought to have been abducted when his elderly parents were killed in Be'eri. He had been visiting them for the holiday of Simhat Torah.

Keith Seigel, 64, and his wife Adrienne - often known as Aviva - Seigel, 62, were taken from their home in Kfar Aza, Keith's brother Lee Seigel told the BBC. Adrienne was released on 26 November.

Omri Miran, 46, lived in Nahal Oz with his wife and two daughters. Omri was led away by Hamas with his hands tied, his wife Lishay told the Guardian newspaper. She told him not to be a hero, urging: "Do whatever they want because I want you back."

Bipin Joshi, 23, a Nepalese student, is believed to have been taken from Kibbutz Alumim. Nepalese newspaper Setopati says he was one of 49 university students studying agriculture in Israel. It says 10 students were killed in the attack.

Ilan Weiss, 58, went missing from Kibbutz Be'eri after he was last seen leaving the house to defend the community. On 25 November, his wife Shiri Weiss, 53, and their daughter, Noga, 18, were freed from captivity in a hostage deal.

Amiram Cooper, 85, and his wife Nurit, 80, were taken from their home in Nir Oz, their daughter-in-law Noa told the BBC. The family last spoke to the couple during the Hamas attack, Noa said, when the couple were in their safe room. The family later traced Amiram's phone to Gaza. On Monday 23 October, Nurit was one of two women to be released.

Oded Lifshitz, 83, and his wife Yocheved, 85 were taken hostage from Nir Oz. On Monday 23 October, Yocheved was one of two elderly women to be freed. After hearing the news of her mother's release, their daughter Sharone - a London-based artist - said: "While I cannot put into words the relief that she is now safe, I will remain focused on securing the release of my father and all those - some 200 innocent people - who remain hostages in Gaza."

Haim Peri, 79, was taken from his home in Nir Oz, reports the Times of Israel, and freed hostage Yocheved Lifshitz said she saw that he was alive and well. His son Lior Peri told Talk TV that Haim had locked his wife inside the safe room before giving himself up to kidnappers.

Avraham Munder, 78, was kidnapped from Nir Oz, Israeli officials say. His wife Ruthi, daughter and grandson have since been released.

Omer Neutra, a 22-year-old Israeli-American and grandson of Holocaust survivors, put off plans to go to college in the US to study in Israel, and eventually joined the IDF. He was serving as a tank commander near Gaza when Hamas attacked. Omer's parents say they were told by the Israeli embassy that he had been kidnapped.

Ron Benjamin's vehicle was found empty following the attacks

Ron Benjamin, 53, had been taking part in a group cycle ride near the Gaza border when the Hamas attack began and he decided to drive home, his family told Israeli media. Days later, his vehicle was found empty and his family believe he was kidnapped.

Louis Har, 70, is believed to have been taken from Nir Yitzhak. His partner Clara Marman was released on 28 November along with her sister Gabriela Leimberg, 59, and Gabriela's daughter Mia Leimberg,17. Clara and Gabriela's brother Fernando Simon Marman, 60, also remains in captivity.

Judith Weinstein Haggai, 70, and her husband, Gad Haggai, 73, also went missing from Nir Oz after the Hamas attack. Ten days later, the Israeli military confirmed to the family they had been taken hostage, CTV News in Canada reported.

Alex Danzig, 75, a scholar and historian of the Holocaust, was at his home in Nir Oz, when it was attacked by Hamas. "We know for sure he was kidnapped," his son Mati told the BBC. Alex - whose older sister Edith is a Holocaust survivor - has spent the last 30 years working for Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust remembrance centre. His disappearance has triggered a campaign for his release, both in Israel and in Poland, the country of his birth.

Alex Danzig has spent decades educating people about the Holocaust

Itzhk Elgarat, 68, was kidnapped at the same time as Alex Danzig, his brother Danny Elgert told Israel's Kan 11 TV station, adding that he had tracked his brother's phone to the border with Gaza.

Gadi Moses, 79, was also abducted during the same attack on Nir Oz, according to relatives and the Israeli aid agency where he worked as an agricultural expert. Efrat Katz, his partner, was initially thought to have been captured as well, but she was later found dead, the Times of Israel reported. Efrat was the mother of Doron Asher, who was taken hostage and later released with her two daughters. Ravid Katz, 51, Doron Asher's brother, was originally thought to have been taken hostage from Nir Oz, but on 28 November his family confirmed that he had been killed on 7 October.

Yair Yaakov, 59, is listed among the hostages. His partner Meirav Tal, 53, was released on 28 November. Yair's children Yagil, 13, and Or, 16, were released on 27 November.

Yair Yaakov was pictured being held captive by a gunman in a video shared online

Nimrod Cohen, 19, had studied software engineering in high school, according to reports. After he was kidnapped, his father was invited to meet Pope Francis in Rome along with other hostages' families.

Tsachi Idan, 51, was last seen by his wife, Gali, as he was taken away by Hamas gunmen. Their family had been ambushed in their safe room in Nahal Oz. Their ordeal was live-streamed by Hamas. Their eldest child, Maayan - who had just turned 18 - was shot dead, Gali told the BBC.

Yarden Bibas, 34, was abducted from Nir Oz. His wife, Shiri, and their two young children, Ariel and Kfir, were also taken hostage, but on 29 November, Hamas claimed they had been killed in an Israeli air strike while in captivity. The Israeli government has said it is checking the claim.

Ronen Engel, 54, was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his wife, Karina Engelbert, 51, and their two daughters, Mika, 18 and Yuval, 11. On 1 December, the organisation representing the families said he had been murdered. Karina, Mika and Yuval were released on 27 November.

Karina Ariev, a 19-year-old soldier, was serving at an army base near Gaza when she was kidnapped. Her sister Alexandra told the BBC she heard shooting as Karina called her during the attack, and later saw a video showing Karina being taken away in a vehicle.

Karina Ariev was at the Nahal Oz military base, which was among the first to be attacked

Ofer Kalderon, 53, was taken by Hamas from Nir Oz. On 27 November his two children, Erez, 12, and Sahar, 16, were released. Two other relatives, 80-year-old Carmela Dan and her granddaughter, Noya, 12, were also believed to have been taken, but Israeli authorities later announced they had been found dead.

Yoram Metzger, 80, was a resident of Nir Oz. He has diabetes and broke his hip six months ago, his daughter-in-law said. Yoram's wife Tamar was released on 28 November.

Nadav Popplewell, 51, and his mother Channah were taken hostage by Hamas, said Channah's daughter Ayelet Svatitzky, who was speaking to them on the phone when the gunmen burst in. She said the captors sent pictures of her two relatives, who both have diabetes, with armed men in the background. Channah has now been released.

Omri Miran, 46, was abducted after his family opened the door to their secure shelter to an Israeli child, who said he would be killed otherwise. Omri's wife, Lishay Lavi, said she saw him being taken away in handcuffs with three other hostages from Nahal Oz.

Liri Elbag, 18, had just started military training as an Army lookout near the Gaza border when Hamas attacked, her father Eli told the Associated Press. Eli said he saw her in a video circulated later by Hamas, crowded with others on the back of a military truck which had been seized by the gunmen.

Lior Rudaeff, 61, was taken from Nir Yitzhak during the attack. His family have heard nothing from him since then.

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A number of people are believed to have been abducted from the Supernova music festival in southern Israel. Among them:

Shlomi Ziv, 40, was part of the security detail at the festival and was initially in contact with his sisters as the attack unfolded, according to an interview with The Times of Israel. A few weeks later the family learned he was officially considered to be a hostage, the report says.

Alexander Lobanov, 32, is a Russian-Israeli citizen who was kidnapped at the festival.

Ori Danino, 25, is reported to have got away from the festival in his car, but it's believed he was captured after turning back in an attempt to save some people he had met there.

Almog Sarusi, 26, was kidnapped from the music festival and his partner Shahar Gindi was killed, according to Israeli media. Almog's father, Yigal, was among the relatives of hostages who met with Israel's prime minister in October.

Omer Shem Tov, 21, called his parents as he was running away from gunfire and managed to get into a friend's car. His parents, Shelly and Malki Shem Tov, told Israeli media they lost contact with their son and the live location on his phone showed he was beyond the border in Gaza.

Idan Shtivi, 28, an environmental sciences student, was attending the festival to take pictures at music and yoga workshops being held by friends. He escaped the site in his car but was attacked by Hamas along the route. The bodies of two of his passengers were found, and his family told the Jerusalem Post they suspect he was kidnapped.

Yosef Ohana, 24, had been at the festival with a friend, who told his mother he and Yosef had remained to help people escape the gunfire before running themselves. Yosef was last seen hiding under a car, and Israeli authorities have visited his mother to say he was kidnapped.

Andrei Kozlov, 27, a Russian who moved to Israel in 2022, is missing from the Supernova festival, where he was working as a security guard. His mother told the De Taly publication the family was told by the IDF on October 26 that he was being held hostage.

Elyakim Libman, 23, was working as a security guard at the festival. In a Facebook post his father Eliyahu Libman said another guard told him his son had helped rescue others before trying to escape. He was last seen trying to help two badly-injured women.

Noa Argamani, a Chinese-born Israeli citizen, was also kidnapped from the festival. Video footage - verified by her father Yaakov Argamani to Israel's Channel 12 - shows the 25-year-old being taken away on the back of a motorbike screaming, "Don't kill me!" Her boyfriend Avinatan Or, 30, also appears in the video being marched away from her by Hamas, the Times of Israel reported.

Eden Yerushalmi's family say they were told she had been taken hostage

Eden Yerushalmi, 24, called her family during Hamas's attack on the festival, her sister May told CBS News. The family say they were subsequently informed by the IDF that Eden had been abducted.

Chanan Yablonka, 42, is a father-of-two from Tel Aviv. According to reports, he attended the festival with friends and was due to celebrate his birthday a few days after the attacks.

Jonathan Samerano, 21, has been missing since 7am on the morning of the festival. His family have been told to presume he is being held in Gaza, Israeli media reported.

Guy Gilboa-Dalal was filmed in captivity in Gaza, his family say

Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 22, attended the festival with his brother. Guy appears in a hostage video that his family say confirms he is in Gaza.

Uriel Baruch, 35, was injured during the attack on the festival, his wife said on Facebook. Reports in Israeli media say his mother, Naomi, has heard from the IDF that he is a hostage.

Maxim Kharkin's mother described speaking to him on the morning of 7 October

Maxim Kharkin is aged 35 and a Russian speaker, his mother told Russian media. She added that he had called her at 07:00 on the morning of the attack.

Elkana Bohbot was seen in a video posted by Hamas

Elkana Bohbot, 34, had gone to the party with friends and, before losing contact, he spoke to his wife and mother telling them he was helping to evacuate the wounded, the Times of Israel reported. Hours later, his family found a video of him posted online by Hamas, which has been seen by BBC Verify.

Rom Braslavski, 19, was working on security for the festival. According to an account published by Hostages and Missing Families Forum, he was trying to rescue an injured person in the attack when he was caught in a volley of fire. He has not been heard from since.

Omer Wenkert, 22, a restaurant manager, sent a message to his family to say he was going to a safe shelter but then lost contact, his father Shai Wenkert told the BBC's Today Programme. Shai Wenkert said he had seen footage of his son in captivity, including a photo of him handcuffed and wearing only underwear.

Evyatar David, 23, was at the festival and on the morning of the attacks, described fleeing from gunfire before losing contact with the outside world, his brother says. Later, his family say, Evyatar's sister posted on Instagram appealing for information about his whereabouts. She then received a text from an unknown number, which contained video footage of Evyatar handcuffed on the floor of a dark room. According to Israel's foreign ministry he is being held captive by Hamas in Gaza.

Eitan Mor, 23, lives in Jerusalem, and was working as a security guard at the festival, the Times of Israel said. He reportedly texted his uncle after Hamas arrived and was last seen with a friend bringing others to safety.

Alon Ohel, 22, a Serbian citizen, took refuge in a shelter after the festival came under attack, his family say. They have seen footage of him being dragged away after a grenade attack.

Almog Meir Jan, 21, tried to flee the festival. He and a friend made it to the friend's car but only managed to drive a short distance before being forced to stop. Almog's family say they have seen a hostage video in which he appears.

Inbar Heiman, a student aged 21, was seen by two young Israeli men being taken away from the festival on a motorcycle. Hamas have released a video in which she is seen very briefly.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, a dual US-Israeli citizen, was badly injured in the attack, his family told the BBC. Eyewitness accounts say he was seen being forced onto a white pick-up truck - the last-known signal from his phone came from just inside Gaza.

Segev Kalfon, 26, was running away from the festival, across the highway, when he was captured by Hamas, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Orión Hernández Radoux, 30, from Mexico, attended the festival with his girlfriend, Shani Louk. He has not been seen since. The Sun newspaper says it has seen threatening messages written in Arabic sent from his phone. Shani, a tourist from Germany, was initially thought to be among those seized. But on 30 October, her mother Ricarda told German media that the family had been informed by Israeli military of her death following DNA identification.

Romi Lesham Gonen, 23, was on the phone to her mother as she tried to escape from the Supernova festival. Merav Leshem Gonan has recounted a conversation in which her daughter begged for help after being shot. ABC News reports that Romi's phone is now in Gaza.

Bar Kuperstein, 21, last spoke to his family early on the morning of 7 October, as the attack unfolded. Later the same day, his family say they identified him in a video of Israeli prisoners, posted by Hamas. Since then, they say they have had no further information.

Eliya Cohen, 26, was hiding with his girlfriend Ziv from the attack, when Ziv felt him being pulled up and driven away by the gunmen, Eliya's mother has told the video initiative #BringThemHomeNow. The family then found a photo of Eliya in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported.

Amit Buskila, 28, from Ashdod, was last heard of making a call to her uncle, Shimon, as Hamas overran the festival. Her family say they have now been told by the government that she is being held in Gaza.

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Carmel Gat, 39, is Jordan's sister-in-law, and also was seen by her father being taken by gunmen from Kibbutz Be'eri, Haaretz newspaper reported. She has not been heard from since.

Ohad Yahalomi, 49, was abducted from Nir Oz, along with his 12-year-old son, Eitan, who was released during the November ceasefire.

Dror Or, 48, was seen by a neighbour being dragged out of his home in Be'eri, according to their nephew Emmanuel Besorai, along with his son and daughter. On Saturday 25 November Dror's son Noam, 17, and daughter Alma, 13, were released from captivity. The body of Yonat, 50 - Dror's wife and the children's mother - was identified among the 120 people murdered at the kibbutz, Yonat's brother told the Guardian newspaper.

Tal Shoham, 38, was taken from Kibbutz Be'eri. His wife Adi, also 38, her mother Dr Shoshan Haran, 67, were released by Hamas on 25 November, along with the couple's children Nave, eight, and Yahel, three. Dr Haran's husband, Avshalom - an economist and dual German/Israeli citizen - was killed on 7 October.

Tamir Adar, 38, who defended Nir Oz as part of the kibbutz's emergency squad, was taken to Gaza, the Times of Israel reported.

Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, an American-Israeli citizen, has been missing since Hamas's attack on Nir Oz, his father Jonathan told the BBC. He said his son was not found among the dead and the "only reasonable explanation" is that he was taken to Gaza.

Sagui Dekel-Chen's father has not heard from him since Hamas attacked the kibbutz where he lived

Thailand's ambassador to Israel says 26 of its citizens were taken hostage, 23 of whom have now been released.

Those still being held are believed to include Watchara Sriuan, 32. His mother, Viewwaew, told the Thaiger news site that the family had been informed he was being held captive.

Kiattisak "Top" Patee and a Mr Pongtorn (no first name given) have also been named by the Thai foreign ministry as hostages.

Hostages who have died

A number of other people thought to have been held hostage are now confirmed to have died, either during the 7 October attack or while in captivity.

As well as Ron Scherman and Nik Beizer, four bodies were identified this week. They were Tal Chaimi, an Israeli-Romanian citizen aged 41, and Joshua Mollel, a 19-year-old Tanzanian student. Also, 27-year-old Eden Zecharya, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival, and 36-year-old Ziv Dado, who had already been declared dead by the Israeli military.

Others known to have died include Dror Kaplun, 68, Aviv Atzili, 49, Arye Zalmanovich, 85, Ronen Engel, 54, Maya Goren, 56, Guy Iluz, 26, Ofir Tzarfati, 27, Ofra Keider, 70, and Eliyahu Margalit, 75.

The bodies of 19-year-old soldier, Noa Marciano, and 65-year-old Yehudit Weiss were found by Israeli troops in buildings close to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

On Saturday 9 December Kibbutz Bari announced that Sahar Baruch, 25, had been killed in Gaza.

Other hostages whose death has been reported, but not confirmed include Shiri Bibas, 32, and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir.

Research by Jamie Ryan and Emma Pengelly