Israel-Gaza War
Families of Hostages Call for Israel and Hamas to Accept Cease-Fire
Families of hostages urge Israel and Hamas to accept Biden's cease-fire proposal, aiming to end the Gaza conflict.
TEL AVIV, Israel — In a fervent plea, families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas have called for an immediate acceptance of a cease-fire proposal detailed by U.S. President Joe Biden. The proposal, which aims to end the nearly eight-month-long conflict in Gaza, has been met with mixed reactions from both Israeli and Hamas officials, but the urgency from the families of those held captive is palpable.
President Biden outlined the three-phase deal during a speech on Friday, expressing his belief that Hamas is no longer capable of launching another large-scale attack on Israel. He urged both parties to agree to the terms, which include the release of approximately 100 hostages and the return of around 30 bodies in exchange for an extended cease-fire in Gaza.
The first phase of the proposed deal would last for six weeks and include a "full and complete cease-fire," the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. During this period, Palestinian civilians would also be allowed to return to their neighborhoods, and humanitarian aid would surge, with 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza daily.
The second phase would involve negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a permanent end to hostilities, including the release of all remaining living hostages and a withdrawal from Gaza, provided that the proposal is honored. The third phase would mark the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which has faced decades of rebuilding from the devastation caused by the war.
Despite the urging from hostage families, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised a "total victory" that would remove Hamas from power, dismantle its military structure, and return the hostages. The Israeli government has been criticized for a perceived lack of will to secure a deal, with families accusing the government of delaying negotiations and costing lives.
Sharone Lifschitz, whose mother Yocheved was freed in the November cease-fire but whose father Oded remains captive, expressed her disappointment in the government's handling of the situation. "We know that the government of Israel has done an awful lot to delay reaching a deal, and that has cost the lives of many people who survived in captivity for weeks, months, and months," she said.
Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi met with hostage families on Thursday, informing them that the government was not prepared to sign a deal to bring all hostages home and that there was no backup plan. Hanegbi expects the war to continue for another seven months to destroy Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group's military and governing capabilities.
Biden acknowledged the challenges in keeping the proposal on track and warned that if Hamas fails to fulfill its commitments under the deal, Israel can resume military operations. Hamas, in turn, has called for an explicit commitment to an agreement that includes a permanent cease-fire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a prisoner exchange, and other conditions.
The proposal has been welcomed across the international community. The UN, the UK, and France have all expressed support for Biden’s proposal. For its part, Hamas said it viewed the plan "positively" and is ready "to deal positively and constructively with any proposal based on a permanent ceasefire."
However, a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday said Israel’s goals — "the destruction of Hamas military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel" — would need to be met before a permanent ceasefire can begin. "Under the proposal, Israel will continue to insist these conditions are met before a permanent ceasefire is put in place. The notion that Israel will agree to a permanent ceasefire before these conditions are fulfilled is a non-starter," the statement said.
The international pressure Netanyahu’s government is facing to end the war in Gaza has been mounting, as the conflict approaches its ninth month. The war was triggered by Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7, which left around 1,200 people dead and saw more than 200 people taken hostage. The Israeli campaign in Gaza since then has killed more than 36,000 people.
As the conflict continues, the families of Israeli hostages remain hopeful that a resolution can be reached. Gili Roman, whose sister Yarden Roman-Gat was released during a ceasefire in November but whose sister-in-law Carmel Gat remains captive, emphasized the importance of adhering to Biden's call for an immediate agreement. "We want to see people coming back from Gaza alive and soon," Roman said, urging all parties to prioritize the release of their loved ones and bring an end to the war.