Families of Israeli Hostages Urge Netanyahu to Accept Ceasefire Deal with Hamas

Tel Aviv, MINA – Families of Israeli hostages urged the Israeli government on Saturday to accept a proposed ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement with Hamas to end the ongoing war in the enclave, Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking at a press conference outside the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is being held in Gaza, blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for blocking a previous agreement. “If Netanyahu didn’t thwart the previous deal, the hostages would have already been at home,” she said.

The Israeli military resumed its offensive in the Gaza Strip on March 18, breaking a ceasefire that had been in place since January 19.

“But at this moment, when there is a grave fear for the lives of hostages due to military pressure, when our heroic soldiers are falling in a war that has already achieved its goals, a ceasefire is the order of the day,” Zangauker added.

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She called on Netanyahu to fulfill his promise, made just two days earlier, to bring the hostages home. “This is the time for actions,” she said, urging the government to implement the ceasefire proposal and dispatch a negotiating team.

Another hostage’s brother made an appeal to former US President Donald Trump, calling for him to pressure all parties into reaching a deal, warning that delays could cost more lives.

Hamas announced on Friday that it had submitted a “positive” response to mediators regarding the proposed agreement. Israel confirmed that it is currently reviewing Hamas’s response.

According to Haaretz, Israel’s Security Cabinet was scheduled to meet at 10 p.m. local time on Saturday to discuss the proposal and future steps in Gaza.

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Israel estimates that 50 hostages, including 20 believed to be alive, are currently held in Gaza. Over 10,400 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons, facing harsh conditions that human rights groups report have led to deaths from torture, starvation, and medical neglect.

Despite growing international pressure for a ceasefire, Israel has continued its military campaign in Gaza, which has killed more than 57,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 2023. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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