An Israeli man stands in front of the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv, demanding the return of Elkanah Bobot, who was abducted by Hamas. Photo: Jack Guez / AFP
On Sunday, the families of Israeli hostages, united in the Hostages Forum and the Tikvah Forum, sharply criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Saturday speech, accusing him of not having a plan to free their relatives. This was reported by The Jerusalem Post.
“Many words and loud slogans cannot hide the simple truth – Netanyahu has no plan,” the Hostage Forum said in a statement. “We would like to hear our prime minister answer the main question: what’s next?”
The Forum is outraged that the head of government has again called the war a “war of revival”. “What kind of revival can there be without the return of hostages who were abducted under your leadership and have been held captive for more than a year and a half?” the statement reads. The Forum calls for a deal to free all hostages – even if it means ending the fighting.
The Tikva Forum, which represents some of the families, sent an open letter to the Prime Minister:
“After the tragedy of 7 October, partial agreements have become a dangerous norm. Negotiators are no longer trying to reach a comprehensive agreement. Hamas is being recognised as a legitimate force, while hostages are slowly dying in captivity. This destroys all the leverage we had left.”
“No partial agreements. No fake wars. No agreements that preserve captivity. We demand: all hostages – on the same day, in the same bus,” Tikva emphasises. “This is a moment for true leadership. History will remember everything.”
Protests at the border
At the same time, the families of the abductees – including the relatives of Elkanah Bochbot (who was featured in a Hamas propaganda video on Saturday), Bara Cooperstein, Edan Alexander, and brothers David and Ariel Kunio – held a protest near the border with the Gaza Strip.
Bokhbot’s uncle stressed that “we need to return all the hostages at the same time, because every day in captivity is a deadly threat”.
The mother of the Kunio brothers appealed to the authorities:
“I tell my children to hold on. They are here, they are alive, I can feel it. Do everything, stop the war – give me back my children.”
Netanyahu’s position
In an address to the citizens of Israel, which was broadcast on the record, Benjamin Netanyahu said:
“I will not surrender to the killers. Such surrender will endanger you, the citizens. If we accept Hamas’s terms, we will allow them to force Israel to defeat.”
The prime minister also said that Hamas had rejected a proposal to release half of the living hostages and dead soldiers in exchange for an end to the war.
“This is unacceptable. We will not allow anyone to dictate terms to us,” he said.
