Hostage families angry over ‘partial deal’ that does not free all captives

The latest proposal, if implemented, would call for a 60-day truce coinciding with a phased release of 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 deceased captives.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

As Hamas gave initial approval on Friday for discussing a hostage release deal, the terror group announced they had “reservations” about the plan.

The Hostages Families Forum criticized the proposal and any “partial deal” that would stop short of releasing all of the captives at once.

An Israeli official announced that Israel was examining Hamas’s response to the framework and that the Security Cabinet was meeting to discuss the plan.

The proposal, if implemented, would call for a 60-day truce coinciding with a phased release of 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 deceased captives.

On Friday, Hamas responded “positively” to the new proposal and indicated it was ready to begin proximity talks “immediately,” however, the terror group expressed reservations about several points the deal.

Hamas was concerned that a permanent ceasefire might not be the ultimate outcome of the 60-day truce and negotiations. Although the talks can be renewed throughout the process, the terror group claimed that Israel could exploit the framework as an opportunity to continue the war.

Secondly, Hamas insists that the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) no longer be allowed to distribute aid and that the previous mechanism approved by the UN be reinstated.

Israel supports aid distribution through GHF, stating that Hamas has stolen aid through the previous mechanism.

Hamas also demanded that the IDF retreat to the areas they had maintained before the ceasefire collapsed last March.

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum made an uncharacteristic and extended criticism of the current hostage deal being negotiated because of the plan to release hostages in phases, and to free only 10 living captives and return just 18 bodies of deceased hostages during the 60-day truce.

In a statement, the Forum said, “The agonizing selections and phased approach are a torment to the families of all 50 hostages, both living and deceased. At this critical juncture, we must not conform to these Schindler-type lists, since it was possible to bring them all back long ago.”

The statement also said,”The separation and categorization that increase the anguish of the families must end. All could be returned through a comprehensive agreement that would free the last hostage. This is the correct, ethical, and Zionist thing to do. We will bring them back, we will rise.”