In a windowless room, somewhere in the bowels of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) headquarters, Chief of Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi jabbed his index finger forward.

By Samia Nakhoul (Reuters) -Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is unrepentant about the Oct. 7 attacks a year ago, people in contact with him say, despite unleashing an Israeli invasion that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians,

Reports circulated by Israeli and global media had previously questioned whether the Hamas leader was still alive, though officials were unable to confirm this.

Nearly a year ago, these four Americans were among hundreds of hostages taken into the Gaza Strip. As the months have passed, their families have clung to glimpses of their loved ones, fragments of hope in an ocean of fear. Keith Siegel, a grandfather born in California, was last seen in a video released by Hamas in April, gaunt and weeping.

Nearly a year since Ilana Gritzewsky was taken hostage by Hamas, the memories of the Oct. 7 attacks linger, and her 55 days in Gaza's tunnels changed her forever.