In a meeting with representatives of families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated the government's commitment to bring all hostages home. The meeting, held at the Kirya government complex in Tel Aviv, was also attended by the Prime Minister's wife, Sara Netanyahu.
Netanyahu began his conversation with the families by emphasizing the government's commitment to bring all the hostages home, whether they are still alive or the bodies of those who have been killed, even if it requires a multi-stage military operation.
"I would have been happy to bring you good news, but Hamas has not yet given us a real answer," the Prime Minister admitted. "They still have unacceptable demands. They are reluctant to move forward and also want to set the area on fire in Ramadan. That is their goal, so they are trying to delay," Netanyahu added.
At the same time, the Prime Minister noted that thanks to the actions of the government and the active efforts of the families of the hostages, Qatar has begun to exert real pressure on Hamas for the first time.
"Every trip and appearance you make abroad, at the United Nations, in Washington, and in the various capitals has an effect. The pressure on Qatar is starting to work. Qatar started telling them: 'We will expel you. We will withhold money from you.' These are things that were said; we made sure that they were indeed said. This is a change; it is a positive thing," Netanyahu concluded.
