Tikva Forum hostage families say military pressure is ‘the right direction’ to free captives

“The justification for the military activity is solely for the release of all our abductees together, without selection and stages.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The Tikva Forum, an organization for hostage families who support military pressure on Hamas to free captives, said that continued Israeli airstrikes in Gaza are “the right direction” to bring their loved ones home.

The Forum was responding to repeated calls by the Hostages and Missing Families Forums to immediately end the war to free the 58 captives remaining in Gaza.

Calling for the destruction of Hamas, the Tikva Forum said, “The justification for the military activity is solely for the release of all our abductees together, without selection and stages.”

On Friday morning, the Hostage and Missing Families Forums said that Israel is wasting valuable opportunities provided by US President Donald Trump to make diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages.

In March, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed their belief that a return to fighting would endanger the captives and characterized the breaking of the ceasefire as “the government’s decision to sacrifice the captives left in Gaza.”

The Forum added, “Military pressure will lead to the killing of living hostages and the disappearance of the fallen.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the importance of returning the hostages. Still, given the breakdown in talks during the pause in fighting, he declared that “negotiations will take place under fire.”

“We resumed fighting with full force following the advice of security officials,” Netanyahu said.

The Tikva Forum greeted the news of renewed strikes in Gaza and said they approved of the government’s action.

“The past weeks have proven what we have been saying all along – Hamas will never return all the hostages willingly,” the Forum declared in a statement titled “All or Hell.”

“Only massive military pressure, a complete blockade including cutting off electricity and water, and occupation of territories that will lead to Hamas’s collapse, will cause them to beg for a ceasefire and a deal that will return ALL the hostages together, in one stage.”

The group argued that, should strikes continue “with intensity and without interruption,” all hostages would return home “in one bus.”