Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 21, 2025
From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 21, 2025
‘Shame’: Hostages’ families fume as Smotrich says bringing captives back not the most important thing
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a faction meeting of his Religious Zionist party, at the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 17, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)
Hostages’ families fume at Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich after he says that bringing the captives home is not the most important thing.
“The families have no words this morning except shame,” the Hostage Families Forum says in a statement.
“The minister is at least revealing the hard truth to the public, this government has deliberately decided to give up on the hostages,” the statement says. “Smotrich — history will remember how you closed your heart to your brothers and sisters in captivity and chose not to save them.”
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
The Times of Israel Community.
JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY
Already a member? Log in here