JERUSALEM

The families of Israeli hostages on Friday urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “show leadership” in the upcoming hostage exchange negotiations scheduled for next week. 

In a statement, the families expressed their gratitude to US President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for their commitment to securing the release of the hostages.

The families urged the Israeli government and Netanyahu to also “show strong leadership” by finalizing the remaining details of Netanyahu's plan to ensure the return of all hostages.

Earlier on Friday, the office of Israeli prime minister announced that Israel will send its negotiation team on Aug. 15 to finalize the details of a hostage exchange agreement with Palestinian resistance factions in the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday evening, leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and the US called on Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations in Doha or Cairo on Wednesday or Thursday.

This call follows the assassination of Hamas’ political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which has negatively impacted the resumption of negotiations between the two sides.

For months, Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been leading indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, but no agreement has been reached due to Israel’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to end the war, withdraw troops from Gaza, and allow displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

Israel has continued a devastating military offensive in the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 40,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 91,700 injured, according to local health authorities.

Over 10 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, which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi

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