From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Hostage point man tells families Israel working to safeguard captives after strike on Hamas leaders
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Israel’s point man on hostages, Gal Hirsch, has reportedly told families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza that Israel is working to protect their loved ones following its strikes against Hamas leaders in Qatar this afternoon, adding that leaders of the terror group living abroad posed a “significant obstacle” in hostage negotiations.
According to Hebrew media reports, Hirsch sent a message to the families emphasizing that “We are monitoring the condition and location [of the hostages], especially in light of the developments of the past hours.”
Hirsch is quoted as saying that “Consistently and over time, the Hamas leadership known as ‘Hamas abroad’ has been an obstacle to reaching an agreement.”
He is said to have told the families that Israel accepted United States President Donald Trump’s latest proposal for a hostage release and ceasefire deal with Hamas, and will continue pressing to advance the deal.
“We are steadfast in our mission — to bring back all the hostages. They are before our eyes 24 hours a day,” Hirsch reportedly wrote, adding that he is in Washington and available to the families at all times.
The Times of Israel Community.