Herzog slams far-right minister for terming hostages ‘prisoners of war’

President Isaac Herzog says he was “appalled” by comments made by Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu yesterday, in which the minister said that hostages held by Hamas in Gaza should be considered “prisoners of war” rather than hostages.

“I was appalled to hear in recent days that some are trying to normalize the issue of the hostages with terminology… They are not ‘prisoners of war’ — they are hostages. Hostages who must all return home as quickly as possible, every last one of them,” Herzog says, speaking in Hebrew during a visit to the Idan Hanegev industrial zone, where he met with Itzik Gvili, father of hostage Ran Gvili, who was killed in battle and abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Eliyahu, from the far-right Otzma Yehduit party, generated widespread outrage yesterday when he suggested that Israel should categorize the 50 Gaza hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, as “prisoners of war,” saying that POWs “are only dealt with after victory,” referring to the defeat of Hamas.

During the meeting, Herzog calls for public sensitivity, saying “everyone who talks too much should think carefully about what’s coming out of their mouths, and how deeply it wounds and pains these dear and beloved families [of hostages.]”