In a recent development, released hostages and their families, who were held captive by Hamas, have openly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet.
These criticisms emerged during a tense meeting where the hostages shared their traumatic experiences and questioned the Israeli government's efforts in freeing the remaining captives, estimated to be nearly 140.
The meeting, which took place on Tuesday, saw Netanyahu and his team advocating for military action as a means to gain concessions from Hamas.
This approach was met with indignation by some relatives of the hostages, who expressed their dismay and even directed shouts of "shame" towards the Prime Minister.
Dani Miran, a father of one of the male hostages, described the meeting as "ugly, insulting, messy," and admitted to walking out halfway through, as reported by Israel's Channel 13 and Reuters.
Audio excerpts released by Israel's Ynet News reveal a female hostage's fear during the airstrikes, where she stated that their fear was not of Hamas, but rather of being killed by Israeli airstrikes, and then blamed on Hamas.
Another released hostage, a mother who was separated from her husband, raised concerns about the Israeli government's awareness of Hamas's activities and the potential risks involved in their plans to flood the tunnels under Gaza.
This meeting brought to light the complexities and challenges facing Israel in its conflict with Hamas. Netanyahu's stance on prioritizing military action over negotiations for the hostages' release has sparked debate and criticism.
These developments, including efforts to locate and target Hamas leaders and the challenges faced by civilians in Gaza, highlight the ongoing tensions and humanitarian concerns in the region.
