Prominent coalition MK Gafni recorded backing immediate hostage deal ‘at any price’

MK Moshe Gafni, the head of one of the two factions that make up the United Torah Judaism coalition party, has expressed support for an immediate deal to free the remaining Gaza hostages at any price, Channel 12 reports.

“We are in favor of doing an arrangement for the release of the hostages, all of them, now,” the ultra-Orthodox politician is heard in a recording, reportedly while meeting five relatives of hostages this morning, adding that the Jewish principle of redemption of captives “is one of the most important commandments in the Torah, if not the most important.

“But here it is completely clear that this is also a case [in which on the line is] saving lives. Our position, I’m telling you here in this room, within these four walls, and I say it to the prime minister: Today, we have to free the hostages at any price.”

In contrast, several prominent religious Zionist rabbis said in a letter earlier today that the deal currently on the table would endanger the lives of all Israelis, arguing that this consideration trumps those mentioned by Gafni.