Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday that Israel’s current navy success in opposition to Iran has unlocked new “alternatives” – notably to free hostages held in Gaza.
Hostage households demand concrete deal amid renewed guarantees
Chatting with safety forces, he linked the 12-day battle with Iran to progress on two targets: rescuing captives and defeating Hamas. Netanyahu asserted each aims could be achieved. His remarks come 20 months after Hamas militants kidnapped 251 folks through the October 7, 2023 assaults. At present, 49 hostages stay captive in Gaza, together with 27 whom Israel believes are useless. Hamas additionally holds the physique of an Israeli soldier killed in 2014.
The Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board cautiously welcomed Netanyahu’s assertion, calling it “crucial” that liberating captives is lastly the “prime precedence.” Nonetheless, they pressured this should result in a single settlement bringing residence all hostages and ending the combating. The group emphasised: “The one approach to free all of them is thru a complete deal… not rescue operations” that threat lives. They urged rapid diplomatic motion, noting households have endured agonizing uncertainty because the warfare started. Netanyahu’s feedback observe international strain to prioritize hostage releases as Gaza’s humanitarian disaster deepens.
The October 7 Hamas assaults killed 1,219 folks, principally civilians. Israel’s subsequent navy marketing campaign has claimed no less than 56,500 lives in Gaza, in accordance with the territory’s Hamas-run well being ministry – figures the UN considers dependable.
Whereas Netanyahu frames hostage restoration as a part of “victory,” mediators battle to restart stalled truce talks. Households keep solely a ceasefire deal can safe their family members’ return, warning navy operations endanger captives. With Ramadan approaching and Gaza’s infrastructure devastated, worldwide calls develop louder for a negotiated resolution to halt the struggling on either side.
