Germany and Hungary extend passport to Israelis kidnapped by Hamas
The governments of Germany and Hungary have officially granted citizenship and issued passports to some Israelis who were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on Black Saturday, October 7. This move aims to ensure their protection under the European Union.
According to The Jerusalem Post, some hostages with these newly acquired passports have already been released as part of a deal with Hamas, involving the exchange for convicted Palestinian terrorists and criminals.
However, there are still hostages holding Hungarian and German citizenship who remain in captivity.
It's worth noting that the kidnapped Israelis receiving passports have family members born in Central European countries. Israel, Germany, and Hungary have not provided comments on the reported citizenship grants.
Dual citizenship becomes a significant factor during hostage negotiations, as foreign countries can intervene to protect their citizens. The exact timing of when the abductees were granted EU citizenship is not specified in the report.
136 kidnapped Israelis remain in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip.