Families of captives: Israeli govt must pick between captives or war
3 Min Read
Following the release of a video by al-Qassam brigades of 2 Israeli captives, their families have reached their boiling point with the Israeli occupation government.
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A crowd of demonstrators at hostages rally near the residence of the Israeli prime minister calling for their release in Jerusalem on April 20, 2024. (AFP)
Shortly after the Al-Qassam Brigades published a video clip of two Israeli captives, the families of the captives demanded that the Israeli occupation officials stop the war on the Gaza Strip and conclude an exchange deal with the Palestinian resistance.
In a statement to the media, families claim that military pressure, which the administration promised would bring their loved ones home, and ongoing for over 200 days has failed.
The families confirmed on Saturday that "Israel" must choose between attacking Rafah or an exchange deal, demanding they "pay the price" for the return of the captives by ending the war on Gaza since the attack on Rafah is an "additional sacrifice."
The statement added that "If the only way to achieve the deal is to stop the war, then this must be done."
One daughter-in-law of an Israeli captive Yoram Metzger stated that Benjamin Netanyahu, “missed the opportunity throughout the months of war,” noting that “the security and military establishment is capable of dealing with any scenario that leads to a deal.”
🚨BREAKING- SUBTITLED: NEW HAMAS VIDEO SHOWING ISRAELI PRISONERS.
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) April 27, 2024
Al Qassam Brigades Publishes:
“The military pressure led to the killing of dozens of prisoners by our hands and deprived the rest of them from celebrating Passover with their loved ones” pic.twitter.com/tqtSKif9tZ
She pointed out that the attack on Rafah would lead to “the kidnapping of more Israelis,” and therefore, “Israel” must choose to return the captives.
Or Heller, a military affairs commentator on the Israeli Channel 13, stated that “Israel stands at a crossroads that cannot be ignored,” either “an exchange deal or a large, broad and intensive military operation in Rafah.”
Head of the Israeli opposition Yair Lapid told Israeli Channel 12 that "Israel must move forward towards a deal," if the choice is between ending the war and a deal.
The al-Qassam Brigades published a video in which the two Israeli captives, Keith Seagal and Omri Miran, appeared, in which they addressed their families by saying that they were “living in difficult conditions in light of the violent bombing,” and that they felt that “Israel had abandoned them.”
Earlier, al-Qassam Brigades released a video of Israeli settler Hersh Goldberg-Polin held captive in #Gaza, in which he lambasted the Israeli government and the military for failing to retrieve the captives after 200 days of war. https://t.co/UE6otOO3SE
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 24, 2024
The two captives called for flexibility on the Israeli side to reach a deal soon, noting that they felt there had been procrastination, emphasizing that the time had come for an agreement to be reached that released them and the rest of the other captives alive and in good health.
The captives called on the Israeli protesters to "do everything in their power to put pressure on the government in every possible way."
Thousands of Israelis have demonstrated in 'Tel Aviv' this month against the current Israeli government and its inability to reach a captive deal.
The protesters are demanding a strike to pressure the Israeli government into reaching an agreement with Hamas to bring back over 100 captives held in Gaza since October 7.
