“He broke my heart. He broke the heart of the whole country,” said PM Netanyahu. He further said, “It is with deep sorrow that I wish to make it clear that military pressure is necessary for the return of hostages and victory over our enemies.”
The Israeli military previously revealed that the three hostages were holding white flags and were screaming for help in Hebrew when they were accidentally shot by Israeli soldiers. News of his death sparked protests in Israel, with relatives of the remaining hostages expressing concern. He urged Netanyahu to return to the path of negotiations.
“We often find dead hostages,” Noam Perry, daughter of hostage Haim Perry, said at an event organized by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum in Tel Aviv. He further said, “Our demand is not for a fight (with the government). This is a call that anyone can take. Keep us in mind and plan (for talks) now.”
Hamas launched a major attack on Israel on October 7. More than 100 of the 250 Israelis and foreigners captured by the Palestinian Hamas group during the attack were released last month in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners during a week-long truce.
Ruby Chen, the father of 19-year-old soldier Itai, who was among the 129 remaining detainees, said: “We feel like we’re in a game of Russian roulette (figure) who’s next to explain the death. Their loved ones. Who will be.
Israel had earlier said eight other hostages had died. But Netanyahu was adamant that military force was needed to make any new talks a success.
Hamas said on Saturday that “it will not open any negotiations for the exchange of prisoners until the aggression against our people is completely stopped”. After the October 7 attack by Hamas, which killed 1,139 people, mostly civilians, Israel launched a sustained bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, vowing to destroy Hamas and return hostages.
Also Read- “Intolerable tragedy”: PM Netanyahu on Israeli army’s accidental shooting of 3 hostages
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