Relatives of some hostages declare PM must go: ‘You are the obstacle to a deal’
Families of 15-20 captives vow to hound Netanyahu until he is ousted, argue it is best path to reach agreement for their loved ones’ freedom
Several relatives of hostages held by terrorists in the Gaza Strip called on Saturday for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign over his handling of negotiations to see their loved ones freed, accusing the premier of deliberately preventing a deal from going through for his own political needs.
The families of some 15-20 hostages who were abducted to the Gaza Strip during the Hamas terror group’s devastating October 7 attack declared they would adjust their tactics aiming for the hostages’ release to push for Netanyahu’s removal.
Among those who attended an impromptu press conference outside the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv were Ayala Metzger, whose father-in-law Yoram Metzger is held in captivity, and Einav Zangauker, mother of Matan Zangauker who is also held in Gaza.
“We have realized that you are the obstacle to the deal,” Zangauker said “You are torpedoing the deal. You stand between us and bringing our loved ones home.”
Netanyahu has repeatedly been reported by local outlets to be taking a tougher stance on negotiations than some other members of his cabinet and the negotiating team. It is unclear that there’s a deal on the table the prime minister is blocking.
The relatives accused Netanyahu of rejecting offer and hardening the Israeli position in negotiations with Hamas. They implied he was doing so to avoid antagonizing hardline members of his government.
Their remarks came as an Israeli delegation was preparing to head to Cairo for further negotiations on Sunday amid efforts by international mediators to reach a deal for a temporary ceasefire that would include the release of hostages.
“You are consciously and intentionally preventing a deal and therefore we are forced to do everything in our power to remove the obstacle, which is you. We have no choice,” Zangauker said.
“We have realized that if we don’t immediately act to remove you from the steering wheel, we won’t get to see our loved ones returning home alive and fast, and we won’t get to see our dead returned for burial in Israel, and therefore it won’t be possible for the State of Israel to recover from the great disaster. So today we are compelled to begin a new stage in our struggle,” she declared.
“From now on,” she pledged, “we will work to immediately replace you. We have concluded that that is the fastest way to bring a deal… We will demonstrate and demand your ouster. We will publicly hound you.”
With the support of the public, Zangauker said, “We won’t stop until you give up your position to a different leader who can save our loved ones from captivity in Gaza.”
Metzger added that Netanyahu “left us no choice.”
“We have all seen how he postpones cabinet discussions, delays discussions, rejects proposals, toughens his stance — and then prevents the [negotiating] delegation from traveling or limits its mandate,” she said. “We have seen how personal political interest motives him again and again in making decisions. How his concern for the coalition outweighs the return of our kidnapped loved ones.”
“It is a complete failure,” Metzger said.
The statements were delivered shortly before the start of the main, weekly, demonstration in Tel Aviv calling for a hostage deal, which was exceptionally rowdy on Saturday.
At that rally, Shiri Albag, mother of hostage Liri, told the crowds of thousands “The Israeli people will not forget or forgive anyone who prevents a deal that would bring them back to us.”
On October 7, Hamas led a massive cross-border attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, amid horrific atrocities. The thousands of terrorists who burst through the border also abducted 253 people of all ages to Gaza.
Israel responded with a military campaign to destroy Hamas and free the hostages of whom 130 remain in captivity.
In November, 105 hostages, mostly women and children, were released during a week-long negotiated lull in the fighting. Some others were returned in other circumstances, including bodies recovered from Gaza.
Current negotiations have focused on a format in which hostages would be released in return for a weeks-long truce and Israel setting free Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli jails, as well as improving humanitarian aid flows in the Gaza Strip which has largely been devastated by the war.
Channel 12 reported Saturday that Netanyahu is the currently leading cabinet voice reticent to move forward with a deal as currently outlined, saying Hamas needs to be pressed more instead. Others in the cabinet are said to be more open to seeking an immediate deal.
Truce talks between Israel and Hamas will resume on Sunday in Cairo, Egypt’s Al Qahera News TV reported Saturday, citing a security source. Netanyahu on Friday approved the delegation to head to Cairo.
Earlier this week, Mossad chief David Barnea, who has led Israel’s negotiating team, reportedly informed the war cabinet that a hostage deal was still possible if Israel would be willing to be more lenient regarding the return of Gazans to their home in the northern part of the Strip.
The premier’s office issued a statement Friday night denying reports that he was in the minority in opposing the Mossad and Shin Bet-led negotiating team’s proposal to allow the unvetted return of Palestinians to northern Gaza.
Israel’s concern is the resurgence of Hamas activity in areas that it has already largely cleared of the terror group.
Besides Barnea, war cabinet minister Benny Gantz and war cabinet observers Gadi Eisenkot and Ron Dermer supported the Mossad chief’s stance, according to Channel 12.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi opposed Barnea’s approach, saying that now was not the time to be lenient in negotiations. Netanyahu also rejected Barnea’s proposal, the network said.
Haaretz on Saturday quoted an unnamed Israeli source saying the talks have been deadlocked because Hamas has refused to show any flexibility on its demand for all northern Gazans to be allowed to return, as well as conditioning any further hostage releases beyond a few dozen in an initial phase on an Israeli commitment to ending the war and withdrawing all IDF forces.
