"Many opportunities have opened up after this victory. First and foremost is the rescue of the hostages. Of course, the Gaza issue and the defeat of Hamas must be addressed, but I believe we will achieve both goals," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on 29/6, referring to the outcome of the 12-day conflict with Iran.
The Hostages Forum and Families of the Missing, a group representing relatives of Israeli hostages, welcomed the prime minister's comments the same day. "After 20 months, the release of the hostages has finally been designated a top priority. This is a very important statement that needs to be translated into a comprehensive agreement to bring all 50 hostages home and end the fighting in Gaza," the group said in a statement.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference in Jerusalem on 21/5/2025. Photo: AFP |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference in Jerusalem on 21/5/2025. Photo: AFP
Hamas captured 251 hostages during its attack on southern Israel on 7/10/2023. 49 are believed to be still held in the Gaza Strip, with the Israeli military believing 27 of them are dead. Hamas is also holding the body of an Israeli soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.
"The only way to free all the hostages is through a comprehensive agreement and an end to the fighting, not through rescue operations that endanger both the hostages and Israeli soldiers," the representative group said.
The Hamas attack in October 2023, which killed more than 1,200 people in Israel, sparked the Gaza conflict as Israel launched a fierce retaliatory campaign. Health officials in the Gaza Strip say the fighting has killed at least 56,500 people in the area, mostly civilians.
The conflict between Tel Aviv and Tehran erupted on 13/6 when Israel launched a preemptive strike on Iran with Operation "Rising Lion," killing several high-ranking commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran then retaliated with Operation "True Promise 3". The fighting killed 627 people and injured more than 5,300 in Iran, while 28 were killed and more than 2,500 injured in Israel.
Iran and Israel accepted a ceasefire on 24/6, with both sides claiming victory.
Thuy Lam (AFP)
