Families of hostages ask Trump to pressure Netanyahu for deal to release their loved ones

Relatives of the hostages deliver a joint statement to the press from Tel Aviv ahead of this evening’s hostage deal and anti-government protests and call on US President-elect Donald Trump to push for a hostage deal before he returns to the White House in January.

Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, says that it is “impossible to hold back the tears” after watching the propaganda video released by Hamas earlier this evening, in which hostage Edan Alexander “begs to return home.”

“A government that does not put a new initiative on the table for a deal and an end to the war to bring back Edan and the other hostages is a government that betrays the hostages and their families, and sacrifices them to their deaths in captivity,” Zangauker says.

“This week, the prime minister signed a deal for an end to the war in Lebanon. How can it be that Netanyahu signs a deal for the north but prevents a deal for the end of the war in the south?”

“In Lebanon, Hezbollah wasn’t defeated, and Netanyahu ran to make the deal. In Gaza, Hamas is defeated and Netanyahu refuses a deal” Zangauker continues. “The only way to return all the hostages is through stopping the war in Gaza as part of a one-time deal, but Netanyahu, [Itamar] Ben Gvir and [Bezalel] Smotrich are rushing to pave roads and build settlements on top of the hostages who are rotting in the tunnels.”

Yehuda Cohen, the father of hostage Nimrod Cohen, appeals for Trump to use his influence over Netanyahu and push him to agree to a deal for the release of their loved ones.

“According to intelligence estimates, around half of the hostages are alive, and they cannot wait until you enter office in January,” He says. “My son Nimrod Cohen and all the hostages are crying out to use from the tunnels. They will not survive the winter. We must save them now.”

“You are probably the person with the greatest influence over Netanyahu,’ he adds. “You have the power to save lives.”