Jacob Magid Times of Israel,
July 25, 2024
“Israel’s security establishment has told Netanyahu and the political echelon that Israel has accomplished enough on the battlefield for it to move forward with the deal currently on the table, but the premier is still seeking to compel Hamas to accept an agreement that would easily allow the IDF to resume fighting in Gaza after the first six-week phase, the official continued.”
It was a line that brought just about everyone in the US House of Representatives chamber to their feet on Wednesday.
“I will not rest until all their loved ones are home,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in his speech to a joint session of Congress.
Referring to the Hamas captives held in Gaza, he made the pledge just after highlighting the families of the American hostages in the audience.
While almost everyone stood and applauded, most of the roughly one dozen relatives of the eight US citizens being held in Gaza remained in their gallery seats directly across from Netanyahu. They stared stoically and uncomfortably, seeming utterly unconvinced by the premier’s words.
“There is a bit of a disconnect,” said Omer Neutra’s father Ronen as he recalled the moment in an interview with The Times of Israel. “We feel a deep sense of appreciation for the support that we’ve been receiving from the community.
“But the prime minister is standing there. He’s the only one holding the keys for reaching an agreement, and the overall feeling is that he’s engaged in stalling tactics, that he’s indecisive, and in this case, that he’s costing the lives of hostages.” [To read the full article, click here]