Amidst reports suggesting a potential deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet ministers convened on Monday evening with the families of around 240 hostages held by Hamas and other terror factions in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 incidents across southern Israel.
The three-hour meeting took place at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv but experienced initial chaos due to a disagreement with some families denied entry at the outset. Despite the families submitting a list of 107 representatives to the premier’s office beforehand, many were informed upon arrival that the reserved auditorium lacked sufficient space to accommodate all attendees.
A portion of the families endured a wait in the cold for over an hour before gaining entry, with eventual admission granted to all listed representatives. Amidst reports suggesting
However, tensions escalated within the meeting, leading to the departure of several family members who expressed frustration over what they perceived as conflicting messages from
A few days ago, we had a meeting with war cabinet ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot. According to Udi Goren, whose cousin is Gaza hostage Tal Haimi, Gantz and Eisenkot emphasized that the primary objective of the war is the return of the hostages. However, Netanyahu conveyed to the hostages’ families that the goal of dismantling Hamas is equally important, a statement that has left those present frustrated. They perceive this as an indication that their loved ones may be kept in Gaza for an extended period. Goren expressed disappointment, stating, “What we’ve heard is that taking down Hamas and bringing the hostages [home] are … equally important. This is incredibly disappointing because … we know that taking down Hamas, we keep hearing from them [it] is going to take months or years, and it’s going to take a long time.”