Don’t even talk to Hamas until all captives freed, says Israeli president

Herzog: “How about presenting a unanimous, tough position … and saying to Hamas and its allies: we’re not talking to you until you release the hostages.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli President Isaac Herzog told the President of Latvia that Hamas must release hostages before there can be peace.

During a diplomatic visit to the Baltic states, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs welcomed President Herzog on Tuesday.

Answering a question about the future of Gaza and Palestinian statehood, Herzog reiterated his long-held support for a peaceful resolution with the Palestinians, but added that at the present time, peace will remain elusive unless the Palestinians take certain steps.

“All my life, I’ve advocated that we should try and find a peaceful solution… But the truth of the matter is, in order to realize peace between two nations, you have to have a real capability of delivering something which is viable,” he said.

He expressed deep skepticism over current prospects for a two-state solution, pointing to the division between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. “If you ask an average Israeli whether they believe it’s feasible … the answer will be no,” Herzog said, citing the October 7 Hamas attack as a turning point in Israeli public opinion.

Calling for global unity, Herzog urged the international community to take a firm stance: “How about presenting a unanimous, tough position … and saying to Hamas and its allies: we’re not talking to you until you release the hostages.”

Herzog emphasized that the return of hostages remains the key to any progress. “In order to finish the tragedy in Gaza… one has to get the hostages back home.”

Displaying photos of captives recently shown in Hamas videos, he described their deteriorating condition, accusing Hamas of deliberately starving them while enjoying adequate provisions themselves.

The president also revealed he had contacted the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross, urging greater efforts to deliver food and medicine to the hostages.

Herzog noted that Israel has significantly increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, with 23,000 tons of supplies delivered over the past 10 days, including 30 tons in the last 24 hours and 120 airdrops from international partners.

He said this was occurring even as Israeli captives remained in “a very, very dire situation.”

Calling for global unity, Herzog urged the international community to take a firm stance: “How about presenting a unanimous, tough position… and saying to Hamas and its allies: we’re not talking to you until you release the hostages.”