Hostage families were told a deal could potentially be signed “within hours” during a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Tuesday.
According to the families, the emerging agreement will include three phases, but the current agreements only concern the first stage.
The families demand the immediate continuation of all stages of the agreement and oppose waiting until the 16th day. Netanyahu agreed, declaring: “There is no humanitarian pause” and vowing to bring back all the hostages. However, families stressed: “Words are not enough.”
The families urge decision-makers to avoid political considerations and warn against missing the current opportunity to reach a comprehensive agreement. “Do not leave any hostages behind,” they stressed.
Family members excluded
Eli Shtivi, whose son Idan was taken hostage and murdered in captivity, said he was not allowed into the meeting, Ynet reported.
“We were not on the list, no one represents us,” he said.
“We are accepting 33 hostages and we will abandon the remaining 70. We will not know what happened to them.”
Haim Haiman, Inbar’s father, who also killed in captivity, also said he was not allowed entry.
Sharon Sharabi, whose brother Eli is expected to be released in the first phase of the deal and whose brother Yossi will remain in captivity, said: “We should not wait until the 16th to discuss the second and third phases, every moment is critical. “
Robbie Chen, whose son Itay was killed and whose body is being held in Gaza, said: “The prime minister did not include my son or the other hostages. Most families do not accept this agreement. There should be an agreement when we know that all the hostages will be released. »
He continued: “Yoni Netanyahu went to rescue the Jews in Entebbe, when he went to rescue them, he rescued them all – he didn’t say he would come back later to rescue the others. My son is a hero and he saved a lot of people – he doesn’t. deserve to stay in Gaza. »
