Authorities say the victims were lured into the hotel, robbed, and abducted. Families were forced to pay ransom—yet some never saw their loved ones again.
Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire began on October 10, the remains of 26 hostages taken during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack have already been returned.
The arrests come after months of investigation by the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), France’s domestic intelligence agency specializing in counter-espionage.