Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 19, 2023
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Scholz demands release of hostages held in Gaza
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From left: Adi Zalesky, Asaf Gorelik, Liron Lavi, Ricarda Louk, Adi Louk, Roni Romann and Gili Rimann, relatives of people held hostage by Hamas, pose for a group photo after they listen to the speech German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz demands, in a speech watched by relatives of some of the hostages held by Hamas, that the terror group free the captives.
In a speech to the German parliament, Scholz underlines Germany’s staunch support for Israel and renewed a warning that it “would be a serious mistake” for Hezbollah, Iran or other proxies to enter the war.
Scholz traveled to Israel and Egypt this week. He says today: “One important task we all have is to free the hostages, the kidnapped. They must be released without preconditions.”
German officials say a “low two-digit number” of German-Israeli dual citizens are believed to be held in Gaza.
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