Youssef and Hamza Alziadna’s Story

Youssef Alziadna

The Bedouin father and son Youssef (53) and Hamza (22) Alziadna have been held hostage by Hamas since October 7th.

They were taken while working at a cow shed in Kibbutz Holit near the Gaza border, along with Youssef’s 17-year-old daughter Aisha and 18-year-old son Bilal.

Bilal and Aisha were eventually freed along with several other hostages on November 30th after being held for 55 days. Youssef and Hamza, however, have now remained in captivity for over 100 days with no clear end in sight.

Their whereabouts and current health statuses are unknown. Youssef suffers from diabetes and hypertension, for which he requires insulin and other medication.

Hamza Alziadna

Youssef’s brother Ali Alziadna, who spoke with us in early November 2023, says that Youssef’s two wives and 19 children cry every day as they wait for an update. “We approached all the officials in the Red Cross, so that his medications would reach him, and I hope they did,” Ali said through a translator, adding, “Youssef is loved by everyone—everyone loves him—and he has a prominent position in the family; they consult him on family matters. [...] I miss him every time, every hour and every minute.”

Hamza is himself married with two children. “He is a good person and everyone loves him and misses him,” Ali says.

You can learn more about their family’s story in this article from The Globe and Mail, to which we contributed.