Israel confirms that Iván Illarramendi is kidnapped by Hamas

The acting President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has confirmed that the Bilbao native Ivan Illarramendi He is one of the hostages that Hamas is holding after the attack on Israel and has demanded his immediate release as well as the rest of the people who remain captured.

Sánchez made this request in a statement at the Moncloa Palace after participating in the summit held by videoconference between EU leaders to analyze the situation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The President of the Government has insisted on the need for the two States, Israel and Palestine, to achieve a solution and has offered the Union for the Mediterranean as a forum to attempt rapprochement between the parties.

Shortly before, the Israeli Foreign Ministry had included the Spanish flag in a message about the nationalities of the people who have been kidnapped since the October 7 attack.

According to José Manuel Albares, the acting Foreign Minister of Spain, there were two people of Spanish nationality "affected" by the Hamas attack. Later, the Government of Spain confirmed that one of them, Maya Villalobo, had died. The other person was Illarramendi, so with the inclusion of the Spanish flag in the message, Israel was already confirming his kidnapping.

The Israeli Government has stressed that "foreign citizens from more than 40 countries are currently being 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 adds.

The Basque's family has no information about his whereabouts, but, as a close relative told EITB Media, they have renewed hope after the publication of the Israeli Ministry's video.

Illarramendi was with his wife at Kibbutz Kissufim, near the border with the Gaza Strip, which was attacked by Hamas militiamen.