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Sunday, September 7, 2025
Lapid: Israel is failing to respond to Gaza mediators’ offer
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said earlier today that Israel is failing to respond to mediators working on a hostage release deal, repeating previous claims he has made about the government ignoring efforts to advance negotiations.
Speaking at a Yesh Atid faction meeting in Tel Aviv during the Knesset’s summer recess, Lapid said senior officials from countries brokering the talks contacted him again last week.
“They said to me: ‘We don’t understand. We still haven’t received any answer. Not a positive one, not even a negative one. Israel simply isn’t responding,’” said Lapid.
He insisted a deal was within reach, noting that both the Israeli negotiating team and the military back a deal that would release the remaining 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
“There is a hostage deal on the table. It can be done, it must be done. Hamas has told the mediators it is ready for either a partial deal or a full one. What cannot be done is to not even to try,” the opposition leader said.
Lapid criticized Netanyahu for not prioritizing the hostage deal.
“In the last month, the government has held more meetings on flights to Uman than on freeing the hostages,” he said, referring to the annual pilgrimage to Ukraine that thousands of Hasidic worshippers attend over Rosh Hashanah. The government is helping to fund the event to the tune of at least NIS 20 million ($5.9 million), drawing significant public criticism.
The Times of Israel Community.