Israel hostage families say Netanyahu missing ‘historic opportunity' for release
Israel's main group representing families of hostages still being held in Gaza said Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was missing a 'historic opportunity' to get them released, as US President Donald Trump concludes a visit to the region.
'The hostages' families woke up this morning with heavy hearts and great concern in light of reports about increased attacks in Gaza and the imminent conclusion of President Trump's visit to the region,' the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.
'Missing this historic opportunity would be a resounding failure that will be remembered in infamy forever,' the group added.
As Trump prepared to wrap up his four-day trip to the Middle East in Abu Dhabi on Friday morning, Gaza civil defense agency said that at least 50 people had been killed in Israeli strikes overnight in the Palestinian territory.
Israeli media reported that the military had stepped up its offensive in Gaza, following government approval of a plan to retake the territory earlier this month.
The army told AFP it was looking into the reports.
'The reports this morning about the increase in airstrikes in the Gaza Strip indicate that the direction is correct,' a statement from the Tikva Forum, a smaller hostages families support group, said.
'The military pressure must be much stronger, with high intensity, and coordinated with diplomatic pressure, a complete siege, cutting off water and electricity,' the group said, adding that it hoped this would bring about the release of all the remaining hostages in one batch.
Some 251 people were taken hostage when militant Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, sparking the war. Of those, 57 are still being held in Gaza, including 34 who the Israeli army says are dead.
On Tuesday, Edan Alexander, the last remaining living hostage with US citizenship, was freed in a deal struck between the Trump administration and Hamas.
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