Hostages Families Forum rails against Netanyahu for referring only to ‘20 hostages’ at press conference

The Hostages Families Forum demands Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarify his comments last night and commit to bringing home all 50 hostages remaining in Gaza — including those declared dead by Israel.

In response to a question at a press conference last night for local media on whether he would agree to a partial hostage release deal, Netanyahu did not answer directly, replying instead that he is “committed to… the release of all 20 of our hostages,” referencing only those believed by Israel to still be alive.

“Assure the people of Israel that you are committed to returning everyone — the living and the dead,” the forum says in a statement.

“The prime minister must clarify that he was wrong, and that his commitment is to all 50 hostages, alive and dead, to ensure the return of the living for rehabilitation and the dead for a proper and respectful burial.”

Israel has declared 28 of the 50 hostages still in Gaza dead based on intelligence findings, some of whom were killed on October 7 and others who were slain in captivity, as well as the body of one IDF soldier being held since 2014. Authorities have expressed “grave concern” for the lives of two other hostages who have not been seen or heard from in close to two years of captivity.