JERUSALEM 

The families of Israeli hostages in Gaza urged the country's security establishment on Saturday not to allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to sabotage the hostage swap deal with Palestinian factions. 

During a press conference near the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, the hostages' families stated: “Do not let Netanyahu sabotage the deal again.”

They appealed to their country's leadership to agree to a cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of all Israeli hostages.

"Netanyahu's insistence on prolonging the war stands between us and our loved ones,” they emphasized.

"Continuing the war means killing the hostages at the hands of the Israeli government!” the families added.

They pleaded with Defense Minister Yoav Galant, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad not to allow Netanyahu to sabotage the deal again.

The hostages' families highlighted that “the people understand that Netanyahu prolongs the war for personal reasons; reaching a deal (to stop the war and swap hostages) would lead to early elections and the end of his rule.”

On Sunday, Netanyahu said that he is only ready for a “partial” deal to retrieve some Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu backtracked on his statements Monday, claiming that he is committed to a Gaza cease-fire proposal backed by US President Joe Biden.

Israel "will not end the war until we bring back all the hostages (…) we will not end the war until we eliminate Hamas and return residents of the south safely to their homes,” Netanyahu said at the Knesset (Israel’s parliament).

Israel estimates that around 120 Israelis are held by Hamas in Gaza.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt have so far failed to agree on a permanent cease-fire that allows a prisoner swap between Israelis and Palestinians.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

More than 37,800 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and more than 86,800 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Over eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala​​​​​​​​​​​​​​