Israelis accuse Netanyahu of abandoning captives held in Gaza for war with Hezbollah

(MENAFN) Families of Israeli captives held in Gaza accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday of abandoning their loved ones while shifting focus to the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. During a press conference near the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, the families expressed frustration, claiming Netanyahu lacks the authority to sacrifice the captives under the pretext of escalating warfare in the north. They urged President Isaac Herzog to intervene and press the government to negotiate a hostage swap with Palestinian factions.

The families criticized Netanyahu for disregarding the lives of the captives in Gaza, emphasizing that their relatives' well-being should not be sidelined for military engagements on multiple fronts. They called for immediate action to negotiate the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, with the current estimate of 9,500 Palestinian detainees and 101 Israeli captives held in Gaza. Hamas claims that dozens of these hostages have already been killed in Israeli airstrikes.

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a potential cease-fire and prisoner exchange are at a critical juncture. While Netanyahu is committed to continuing the war in Gaza, including controlling strategic corridors in the south and center of the territory, Hamas demands a complete Israeli withdrawal and the return of displaced Palestinians. The stalemate persists as both sides refuse to yield on their demands.

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have also escalated, particularly after an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb killed at least 38 people, including senior Hezbollah figures. This attack followed wireless communication device explosions in Lebanon, which left over 3,000 people injured. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the blasts, and both groups have been engaged in cross-border clashes since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has claimed nearly 41,400 lives, primarily civilians, since the conflict ignited on October 7 of last year.

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