Several religious Zionist rabbis warn current hostage proposal would ‘endanger all Israelis’

Several leading rabbis of the religious Zionist community come out in an open letter against a hostage deal with Hamas, arguing that an Israeli-proposed agreement on the table that would withdraw troops from Gaza and swap Israelis in Gaza for Palestinian security prisoners would endanger more Israelis.

“The prices demanded to free the hostages endanger all Israelis, old, young and women,” the letter reads. “For example: releasing all the dangerous monsters so Hamas can rebuild its collapsed army, withdrawing from strategic areas and stopping the fighting before Hamas is defeated.”

The letter claims the dangers posed by the deal outweigh the Jewish imperative to free captives. It is believed that 116 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 44 confirmed dead by the IDF.

“We suggest to our leaders that God will present good counsel on how to redeem the hostages while ensuring the continued existence and well-being of the State of Israel,” the letter continues.

The letter — whose signatories include Ramat Gan chief rabbi Yaakov Ariel and leading hardliners such as settler leaders Dov Lior and Elyakim Levanon and Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu — may deal a fresh blow to hopes that the religious Zionist flank of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition could agree to a deal should terms with Hamas be reached.