Some relatives of Israelis kidnapped in Gaza oppose the deal to release 50 hostages in exchange for around 150 Palestinian prisoners, a deal whose implementation began Friday with the release of the first 13 hostages.
“The correct and most effective way to get the hostages back is to put relentless pressure on Hamas, so that the hostages become a burden to it,” says a spokesperson for Tikva, a new forum for hostage families who oppose the deals about the hostages. Hamas, which is defined as a terrorist organization instead of being a source of strength.
The new forum was founded by Eliyahu Lipman, who is also mayor of the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba near Hebron, and whose son Elyakim is believed to be held hostage following the October 7 attack.
Lipman declined an interview request from the Times of Israel, the newspaper reported, noting that a spokesperson for the forum said members “have decided to stop conducting interviews on this topic.”
Qatar, together with Egypt and the United States, has reached a four-day ceasefire agreement, which can be extended, which includes the exchange of 50 hostages held in Gaza for 150 Palestinians held in Israel.
Hamas released 24 people on Friday, including 13 Israeli women and children, 10 Thais and one Filipino, while Israel released 39 Palestinians from its prisons.
Another Tikvah parent, Zvika Mor, also opposes the deal.
Moore, who says his son is in Gaza, told Channel 14: “Our big stop to receive hostages increases their price.”
Keren Gonen, whose sister Rumi would be held hostage, rejects these considerations.
“I don’t care about anything. Nothing else should matter. Taking the hostages back is the only thing that should matter,” he told the Times of Israel at a solidarity rally in Tel Aviv with the hostages and their families.
On the other hand, signs of joy accompanied the return of Palestinian prisoners released by Israel under the agreement, as happened in Beitunia and in the Nablus refugee camp.
Large crowds welcomed the Palestinian prisoners when they disembarked in Beitunia, and many of them chanted “God is great.” Firecrackers were set off, lighting up the sky.
Participants lifted some released prisoners onto their shoulders and waved Palestinian flags and those of the Hamas and Fatah movements, according to video footage from Agence France-Presse.
More Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released on Saturday in the second day of the truce between Hamas and Israel, an agreement that has brought a fragile calm to Gazans after seven weeks of war.