The Hostage and Missing Families Forum urges the government to start work negotiating the next phases of the hostage-ceasefire deal ahead of the 16-day target agreed under the current deal.
“We, the families of the 98 hostages, welcome the agreement intended to bring all hostages home. This represents a significant and crucial advancement that brings us closer to the moment when we will see all hostages return home—the living to rehabilitate among their families, and the deceased for proper burial,” the forum says in a statement.
“We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are implemented, and emphasize that negotiations for the next phases must begin before day 16,” they say.
They also note that today is the second birthday of the youngest hostage Kfir Bibas.
“Today also marks Kfir Bibas’ second birthday—both of his birthdays have been spent in Hamas captivity. This unconscionable tragedy must end now,” the statement says urging the public to attend rallies later this evening “to demand the guarantee of returning the last hostage!”
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From the Liveblog of
Saturday, January 18, 2025
