Hostage families laud military achievements, but say real accomplishment will be bringing captives home

The Hostages Families Forum issues a statement lauding the military accomplishments of the Israel Defense Forces but says that “any true achievement can only be realized with the release of all 115 hostages still in captivity.”

The statement comes after the IDF killed a top Hezbollah leader in Beirut last night and after the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a Tehran strike attributed to Israel.

“The deal proposed by the Israeli government and supported by President Biden represents the only viable path to secure their freedom, allowing the living to begin rehabilitation and the murdered to receive proper burial,” the statement says.

“Time is of the essence, and we implore the Israeli government and global leaders to decisively advance negotiations. This is the time for a deal. Securing the hostages’ release is not just a moral imperative; it is the key for ending the current conflict and initiating a process of healing and reconstruction in the region,” they say.