Herzog urges global ‘unified stance’ to demand release of hostages above all other war demand

President Isaac Herzog encourages world leaders to prioritize the release of hostages above all other demands related to the ongoing war, speaking at a Microsoft AI conference in Tel Aviv.

In a statement from his office, Herzog calls for the return of the remaining 58 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying “to bring everyone home as quickly as possible — every last one of them.”

He thanks US envoy Steve Witkoff for his latest hostage proposal, saying the envoy “is working day and night.”

“Unfortunately, Hamas continues to reject the proposals,” continues Herzog, “and I say to the entire international community — in recent days I have spoken with three major world leaders and I told them: maybe try thinking in game theory terms, but reversely: If all of you stand united and say, ‘First the hostages — first and foremost — and only then everything else,’ you will see that you can bring about results.”

His remarks come amid mounting international criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, including from key Western allies. In recent weeks, numerous countries have urged Israel to halt its expanded military operations and lift restrictions on humanitarian aid into the territory — often coupling those demands with calls for the release of the hostages, though not as a precondition.