Former captives to Netanyahu: 'Absolute victory' is releasing captives

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
8 Feb 2024 00:39
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Former Israeli captives warn that Netanyahu's current war policy will lead to the killing of captives still held by the Resistance in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting in the Prime Minister's Office in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, on July 30, 2023 (AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that the objective of the war on Gaza is "absolute victory," and pointed out that this cannot be achieved without defeating the Resistance militarily, announcing that the next stage of the invasion would target the southernmost city of Rafah.

"I set absolute victory as the goal from the start," he told reporters, adding, "We won’t settle for any less than that."

Several Israelis formerly held captive by the Resistance in Gaza responded to the Prime Minister's statement, saying that "winning the war" would manifest in returning the captives, who are currently at risk of getting killed as the aggression proceeds.

Aviva Seigel, who was released last November in a prisoner exchange deal imposed by the Palestinian Resistance, said that if the captives are "saved" then "we'll have saved the State of Israel and that will be absolute victory."

Over 120 days into the war, the occupation's military is yet to achieve any of its main declared objectives, primarily "eradicating the Resistance" and "releasing the hostages."

On the other hand, the Resistance maintains its strong presence in several fields, as it has been able to stick to its original demands for a prisoner exchange deal and even add further clauses in a recent response.

Meanwhile, the number of captives killed due to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues to grow.

Don't lower them into a coffin

Addressing Netanyahu, Adina Moshe said she is afraid that in case Netanyahu continued "along this path… there won’t be any more hostages to release."

Nili Margalit voiced an even deeper concern.

She considered that "millions of Israelis and Jews are waiting for six people to make this decision," referring to the war cabinet, warning that if the captives are not returned; "everyone will know that they are next in line, that we live in a country that doesn’t worry about our safety, that doesn’t protect its citizens."

In his press conference, the Prime Minister said that reaching "victory" in Gaza will require "months" and not years, and this can be accomplished with the "military collapse [of Resistance Hamas]. There will not be a civilian collapse [of Gaza government] without a military one."

Sahar Calderon used even sharper words to describe the situation Israelis are now facing due to the war trajectory their government is pushing for.

Being a former captive herself and the daughter of an Israeli still held by the Resistance in Gaza, Calderon slammed the government for "abandoning many people," accusing it of not knowing what Israelis still in captivity are going through.

She pleaded that Netanyahu's war cabinet would not "relegate the hostages to a coffin."

"Don’t let me lose my faith in you a second time."

Not against the wall

During his press conference, the Prime Minister claimed, "We are on the way to complete victory. The victory is within reach."

But recent developments suggest otherwise.

Hamas announced on Tuesday that it handed its response to mediators regarding the Paris Document - a prisoner exchange proposal reached in a meeting of top intelligence officials from Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and France in Paris earlier this month.

Mentioning that the party dealt "positively" with the initial proposal, the group introduced clauses that were not included in the original draft, focused on demands the Resistance had made since day one of the war, on top of which a comprehensive ceasefire, lifting of the siege, delivery of aid and reconstruction.

Hamas' response surprised Israeli officials, with Israeli media reporting that it proved the Resistance is negotiating with ease and "its back is not against the wall."