The Hostages and Missing Families Forum calls on the government to approve the hostage-ceasefire deal announced by mediators yesterday, amid reports that its implementation would be delayed by one day.
“For the 98 hostages, every night is another night of a terrible nightmare. Do not delay their return even for one more night,” the forum says in a statement.
“We call on the decision-makers — put other matters aside, bring them all back with the requisite urgency.”
It is believed that 94 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 40 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014.
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, January 16, 2025
