Families of hostages held in Gaza demanded answers from Israel’s leadership Friday, saying the army has admitted it has no precise information on the captives’ whereabouts as it prepares for a ground offensive in Gaza City.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a blistering statement, warning that the planned assault under Operation Gideon’s Chariots II could place their loved ones in immediate peril.
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Families and former hostages from Kibbutz Nir Oz urge government to halt fighting and secure captives’ release
(Photo: Ilana Curiel)
“We are worried to the depths of our souls,” the group said. “This action directly endangers our loved ones, who have languished in Hamas tunnels for 700 days.”
The families warned their loved ones could meet the fate of six hostages executed in Rafah last year, when Israeli forces operated nearby without knowing captives were held there. “Sadly, we have not heard of any plan to protect them, nor have we been shown any strategy to ensure that Gideon’s Chariots II does not turn into ‘Murder of the Six II,’” they added. “Forty-eight of our loved ones are at risk of being murdered or disappearing forever in the ruins of Gaza.”
The families criticized IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, accusing him of backing “a needless war” even though they said he privately believes the same military objectives could be achieved without jeopardizing hostages or soldiers.
“What did not work in Gideon’s Chariots I will not work in Part II or Part VII,” the statement read. “There is a deal on the table — that is what will bring back the last hostage, that is what will end the war.”
The group called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Zamir to meet with them urgently to explain how hostages would be safeguarded and to launch immediate negotiations based on a framework previously proposed by U.S. special envoy Steve Wittkoff, which they said could serve as a lever for a comprehensive deal.
Earlier Friday, families and former hostages from Kibbutz Nir Oz, now relocated to Kiryat Gat, marked 700 days since the start of the war with a statement urging the government to halt the fighting and secure the captives’ release through a deal with Hamas.
In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, relatives mounted a large display with a yellow “S.O.S.” and a red hourglass to symbolize time running out.