Feb. 7 (UPI) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday rejected a hostage-release proposal as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Netanyahu called the proposal “delusional,” describing it as an Israeli surrender, while still seeking to assure hostage families he cared.
“Your loved ones are always standing before my eyes. … We do not stop working for the release of our abductees — even now,” Netanyahu told them.
Netanyahu vowed to press on to destroy Hamas.
Netanyahu told reporters Wednesday that anyone would say no to Hamas’ terms for a hostage release, which include a long pause in fighting, permanent ceasefire and a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. But he left the door open for further negotiation to try to release the estimated 130 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
The State Department said in a statement after meeting with Netanyahu, “The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ support for Israel’s right to ensure the terrorist attacks of October 7 are never repeated and stressed the importance of taking all possible steps to protect civilians in Gaza.
“The Secretary and Prime Minister discussed the latest efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages and the importance of increasing the amount of humanitarian assistance reaching displaced civilians throughout Gaza,” the statement read.
In remarks released by the State Department earlier Wednesday, Blinken had expressed hope that the release of hostages could resume.
He added that, “There are so many innocent men, women, and children who are suffering as a result of the attacks perpetrated by Hamas and now being caught in a crossfire of Hamas’s making. We all have an obligation to do everything possible to get the necessary assistance to those who so desperately need it.”
During a Wednesday press conference, 16-year-old released hostage Shar Calderon, whose father Ofer remains a Hamas hostage, described captivity in Gaza as hell and said her soul was murdered even though she physically survived the ordeal.
At that same news conference, freed hostage Adina Moshe said that, if Netanyahu doesn’t change his response, there will be no hostages left to return.
