Chaotic meeting with Netanyahu: "Many people were shouting"
The conflict in the Gaza Strip reached a new level following a week-long hiatus. The Israeli military initiated an offensive in the southern district, with 138 individuals still held captive by Hamas. Israel's Prime Minister met with the hostages' relatives, an interaction described as chaotic by one participant.
3:39 PM EST, December 6, 2023
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, met with the family members of those abducted by Hamas on Tuesday. The encounter was rather tumultuous. "Both freed hostages and the families of remaining hostages in Gaza harshly criticized the war cabinet," reports The Jerusalem Post.
A week-long truce between Hamas and Israel resulted in the release of some hostages. However, Hamas is presently detaining 138 individuals.
Upon hearing the harrowing stories of the freed individuals, the Israeli Prime Minister affirmed that "the rescue of the remaining hostages is still a key priority of the war".
However, not everyone was persuaded.
"Many relatives at the meeting with Netanyahu expressed criticism of Israeli leaders due to the evident lack of a retrieval plan for the remaining hostages," Sky News reports.
"Many people were shouting"
The father of a captive, while speaking to Israeli television Channel 13, mentioned feeling "condescended and abandoned midway through the meeting".
Another participant in the meeting with the Prime Minister described it as "volatile" and "filled with shouting".
The families' fears might be tied to the ongoing offensive by Israeli forces. "The Israeli forces encircled the city of Khan Yunis in Southern Gaza Strip, and after a week-long break, the war entered a new phase," announced General Herzi Halevy, chief of staff of the Israeli military, on Tuesday.
On another note, Hamas declared on Tuesday that "there won't be any negotiations or prisoner exchanges until the Israeli breach on the Gaza Strip ceases," as reported by The Jerusalem Post.
However, not all family members object to the continuation of the war. The Hope Forum, which represents the hostage families, expressed support for the war cabinet's actions after the meeting.
Netanyahu rejects international forces in Gaza
During a press conference on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that following Hamas's defeat, it should be the Israeli army - not international forces - that disarm the Gaza Strip, according to the Times of Israel. Netanyahu has repeatedly expressed that the Israeli military intends to take control of this area.
"We've observed what ensues in places where international forces have been sent on disarmament missions," Netanyahu pointed out, making clear that "no international force can handle this" in the Gaza Strip.
