(NewsNation) — Israel’s military ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip Monday, following Hamas’ attack Saturday.
Hamas is reportedly holding at least 150 Israelis hostage at this time.
Firsthand accounts of kidnappings could be seen on social media accounts, and now, a database to help people find their missing loved ones has been created by Yuval Keshtcher and Stav Charkham of Tel Aviv.
Called Swords of Steel, the database was created Saturday and ended up crashing Sunday morning because there were thousands of inquiries coming in. However, Keshtcher said many of these were duplicates, and he and others working on the site are still weeding through the inquiries and working with humanitarian groups and government officials.
“I have friends that are going to (the) reserve, I have friends that lost their brothers and sisters, I have friends…. their babies were kidnapped to Gaza Strip. Their parents were kidnapped to Gaza Strip, old people that were kidnapped,” Keshtcher said. “We need to do everything we can in order to bring these people to these families and also help these families right now that lost their loved ones.”
Many civilians were kidnapped by Hamas at a nearby music festival called Tribe of Nova, where mostly young people gathered for a night of electronic music. Israel’s rescue service Zaka said paramedics had recovered at least 260 bodies from the scene of the festival, the Associated Press reported Monday morning.
Among the missing is 25-year-old Noa Argamani. A video shows Argamani being driven on the back of a motorcycle, pleading and fearful as she is carried away.
Mary Goldenberg’s 24-year-old sister was at the music festival. Mary Goldenberg said on “NewsNation Live” Monday that Tamar Goldenberg hasn’t been heard from since Saturday morning.
“Maybe she’s been kidnapped, maybe she’s hiding, maybe she’s dead. We don’t know anything,” Mary Goldenberg said.
Now, after posting her phone number in the media, Mary Goldenberg said she has people from Hamas calling her to bash Israel. Some tell Mary Goldenberg her sister is dead.
Tribe of Nova music festival organizers said on Facebook on Sunday they are assisting security forces to help locate the missing.
“We strengthen and share the grief of the missing and murdered families,” organizers wrote.
One father, Yoni Asher, has been on social media, begging for more information on his family. His wife had been visiting her mother near the Gaza border with their two young daughters when Hamas attacked.
Asher told Reuters his wife phoned him to say the “terrorists are in the house,” then the call got cut off.
“I want to ask of Hamas. Don’t hurt them, don’t hurt little children, don’t hurt women. If you want me instead, I am willing to come,” Asher said.
The fate of these hostages is unknown. Among the people being held hostage are not just Israelis but also French, Irish, Uruguayans, Panamanians and many more from all around the globe.
The Associated Press, Reuters and digital producer Cassie Buchman contributed to this report.