Israeli prime minister pledging ‘safe passage’ out of Gaza and massive cash rewards to any terrorists holding captives who agrees to free hostages, according to report.
By World Israel News Staff
Israel is offering Gaza terrorists who are holding hostages captive large cash rewards and the promise of free passage out of the Gaza Strip for themselves and their families if they handover the hostages to Israel, Israel’s Channel 12 reported Monday night.
According to the report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed security officials to offer a massive reward, totalling “several million dollars,” some outlets reporting $5 million, for each captive who is freed, along with guarantees of safe passage out of the Gaza Strip for any captors who agree to the deal.
The prime minister reportedly authorized the offer to be made during a security meeting Monday night, following consultations on Sunday with Gal Hirsch, a IDF reserve Brigadier General tapped by the Israeli government to lead efforts aimed at securing the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza.
On Tuesday, an Israeli official confirmed Monday night’s report regarding the offer.
Israeli intelligence currently estimates that only 51 out of 101 captives still held in the Gaza Strip are alive.
During a closed-door session of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in September, Netanyahu provided lawmakers with data gathered by the intelligence community regarding the condition of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has officially declared 37 of the captives dead, though there is also information suggesting that at least 13 more have also died in captivity, though their deaths have not been confirmed.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken ripped the Hamas terror organization, saying the Gaza-based group is refusing to release even a small number of Israeli captives as part of a ceasefire deal.
“Hamas has once again refused to release even a limited number of hostages to secure a ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, summarizing Blinken’s comments from a call with Egypt’s foreign minister.