The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue a comprehensive agreement for the release of all remaining captives held by Hamas in Gaza, rather than focusing on a limited deal involving just 10 hostages.
The appeal comes after Netanyahu reportedly told the parents of one hostage that efforts were underway to secure the release of 10 live captives.
In response, the Forum issued a statement on Sunday stating the urgency and importance of a broader solution.
“While the families wait hopefully and would welcome the release of any hostage from Hamas captivity, we continue to call for a comprehensive deal that will return ALL hostages immediately,”; the statement read.
The group warned that “every additional day in captivity endangers the lives of those still being held by Hamas terrorists,”; pointing out that the captives are enduring “horrific conditions including starvation, physical abuse, and confinement in darkness.”
The Forum further urged the Israeli government to pursue what they described as the “obvious, possible, and appropriate solution: end the war and return all the hostages, the living and the dead, immediately.”
According to current estimates, Hamas is holding 59 hostages in Gaza. Only 24 of them are still believed to be alive.
Families and supporters staged a protest outside the Jerusalem home of Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer on April 13, renewing public pressure on the government to accelerate negotiations and secure the release of all captives.
