The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed this Tuesday that the Basque Iván Illarramendi, who has not been heard from since October 7 when the Hamas attack in Israel occurred, would be among the 200 hostages held by the terrorist group.
In a message on X, former Twitter, the Israeli Ministry has expressly included the Spanish flag among those of the 42 countries whose nationals are in the hands of Hamas. Until now, the Spanish Government had not wanted to go into details about the circumstances in which Illarramendi, 46 years old and from Zarautz, would find himself.
There are currently foreign nationals from more than 40 countries being held hostage by Hamas.
We ask you as parents. As children. As human beings.
Share their stories and help us bring them home. pic.twitter.com/mL6dkWAmSo
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 17, 2023
The acting Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, had announced on October 9 that there were two Spaniards “affected” by the land, sea and air attack carried out by Hamas. Later, on October 11, the Government confirmed that the other Spaniard, the young Maya Villalobo, 19 years old and who was doing military service in Israel, had died.
Until now, the only thing known about Illarramendi is that he was with his wife, a Chilean national, in Kibbutz Kissufim, very close to the border with the Gaza Strip, and that it had been assaulted by Hamas militiamen.
In its message, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stressed that “there are currently foreign citizens from more than 40 countries held hostage by Hamas.” “We ask you as parents, as children, as human beings to share their stories and help us bring them back home,” he encourages, in line with what a Ministry spokesperson also states in the video that accompanies the text.
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