Only prisoner exchange deal can bring back captives, families say

By Al Mayadeen English
25 Jul 2024 12:28
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The Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum has demanded an immediate prisoner exchange agreement to bring back captives from Gaza.

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Relatives and friends of captives march with their photos during a rally calling for their release while Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a speech before US Congress, in Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, July 24, 2024. (AP)

The immediate return of Israeli captives would only be possible through a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance, Israeli Channel 7 reported Thursday, citing the Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

According to the forum, Benjamin Netanyahu must send a negotiating team sooner rather than later, clearly demanding an immediate prisoner exchange agreement to bring back the 115 remaining captives.

This comes at a time when Israeli settlers and the families of captives continue protesting in "Israel's" main streets, particularly in Tel Aviv, for a prisoner exchange deal, a main demand that was dismissed by Netanyahu during his Congress speech.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech before the US Congress as "disgraceful".

Lapid criticized Netanyahu, particularly for not taking any responsibility for his failure regarding October 7's Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and for failing to accept a deal with Hamas that would retrieve the Israeli captives held by the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza.

"Disgraceful! An hour of talking without saying a single sentence: 'There will be a hostage deal,'" he posted on his account on the X platform.

In a separate post, the opposition figure said, "We heard Netanyahu speak about October 7 as if he has no idea who was the Prime Minister and who was responsible for the disaster."

Lapid pointed out that during his speech before Congress, Netanyahu had the opportunity to announce that he accepted a deal that would bring back the captives in Gaza "before they all die in the tunnels."

"He did not do that," Lapid added.

Thousands of Israeli settlers also took to the streets to protest and demand a ceasefire as their Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed US Congress.

In response to Netanyahu's speech, Israeli advocacy organization the Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated, "45 minutes of speech and applause won't erase the one sad fact: the words 'Deal Now!' were absent from the prime minister's address."