At a meeting held today (Tuesday) with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, families of the hostages voiced their concern about the lack of continuity between stages of the proposed hostage release deal. They stressed the importance of beginning the second phase immediately after the first, and continuing uninterrupted until the last hostage is returned.
“No One Will Be Left Behind”
Sharon Sharabi, brother of hostages Yossi and Eli Sharabi, emphasized that every moment is critical and called for immediate progress of the second phase of negotiations. He noted that while many questions were raised, the Prime Minister refrained from answering some to avoid jeopardizing the negotiation process.
Sharabi stated, “There is nothing humanitarian about this after 15 and a half months. We asked the Prime Minister many questions, but he chose not to answer some in order to safeguard the negotiations, and secure a comprehensive deal which leaves no hostage behind.”
Gratitude for IDF Efforts
The families expressed deep gratitude to IDF soldiers for their achievements in operations that paved the way for advancing the deal. They underscored that was actions, not words, which will determine Netanyahu’s commitment. “The entire nation of Israel is waiting to hear that the hostages are on their way home,” they said, emphasizing the critical nature of the current hours.
Sharabi added, “I want to take this opportunity to thank the IDF soldiers who contributed significantly to achieving impressive results to facilitate the quickest possible release of the hostages. I urge our elected officials to show responsibility at this time and avoid making divisive statements. We are all united—with one goal in mind: the return of the hostages.”
Concurrently, other families are also protesting outside the Prime Minister’s Office, demanding an immediate and complete agreement that guarantees the release of every single hostage.
Phases of the Deal
The Associated Press reported that Hamas has approved the draft deal with Israel but has not yet provided a final agreement, while mediators from Qatar and Egypt have begun taking action.
According to BBC reports, the deal includes the release of 34 Israeli hostages in exchange for approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The process will be gradual, involving phased releases and the withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza. While the deal is nearing finalization, its implementation relies on an extremely fragile mutual trust between the parties. The coming days are expected to be pivotal in determining the success of this critical and complex negotiation.
