Gantz vows to pay ‘heavy price’ for hostages, as Ben Gvir fails to mention them

Marking Memorial Day at a cemetery in his hometown of Rosh Ha’ayin, war cabinet minister Benny Gantz indicates Israel is willing to make far-reaching concessions to get its hostages back.

“We will return to Be’eri and Metula, strong but smarting,” he says referring to badly hit communities near the Gaza and Lebanon borders. “We’ll have quieter and better days again. We will see our hostages again, for whom we all pray, and who we are committed to bring back even if the price is extremely painful.”

In contrast, the 132 hostages held in Gaza are completely absent from a speech by National Security Minister Ben Gvir, who says Israel has to keep fighting in memory of those who were killed.

“Our brothers’ blood cries out from the ground and commands us to keep on and remember, to keep on and fight. With shield and sword, until victory. And it is coming,” he says, according to a transcript sent out by his office.

Ben Gvir has publicly opposed reaching a deal to free the hostages, which would likely involve a pause in the fighting.