A confrontation occurred on Monday morning in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee between families of hostages and Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir.
Relatives of the hostages demanded that Ben Gvir express his support for the hostage deal but Ben Gvir responded: “This is a reckless deal and it will cost us blood.”
After thousands of Gazans crossed the Netzarim Corridor on Monday morning and returned to the northern part of the Strip, where they were greeted by Hamas terrorists, Ben-Gvir stated: “This is not what ‘complete victory’ looks like – this is what complete surrender looks like… Heroic IDF soldiers did not fight and give their lives in the Strip (only for Palestinians to return north) and make these images possible. We must return to war – and destroy!”
Eli Albag, the father of Liri, who returned from Gaza on Shabbos, held a press conference on Sunday evening during which he slammed anyone who opposed the hostage deal, threatening: “The nation will hold you accountable.” Albag was criticized for his statement in turn by Israelis who opposed the deal, especially since many bereaved families who lost their children in battle in Gaza or whose sons are even in captivity in Gaza are included among them.
Tzika Mor, whose son Eitan is being held hostage in Gaza, responded to Albag, saying: “My dear friend Eli. We were delighted to see that Liri was returned to you and wish her and you a swift recovery and return to normalcy, as much as possible. Opponents of the hostage deal include many families of soldiers who fell and were injured during the Gaza war in order to bring Liri home as well as many families who lost loved ones to terrorism. All of these families want to bring the hostages home already but wish for these to be the last hostages so that their sacrifice in the war should not have been in vain – for a deal that puts Hamas back in power and allows murderers of their loved ones, who have been released from prison to laugh at them on the way to the next terror attack.”
“We, the families of the hostages, do not live here alone. There is a whole nation here that wants to live, and therefore we requested that the release of the hostages take all these families who have suffered and sacrificed so much into account.”
Itzik Bonzel, the father of fallen IDF soldier Amit Bonzel, H’yd, responded to Albag by saying: “Eli Albag, you are no longer the father of a hostage daughter. How fortunate you are that you merited to change your title. I also wish I would merit to change my title – of bereaved father. I will not be able to fly in a helicopter on Shabbat to the southern border to pick up my Amit.”
“Eli, this is the time to bow your head, say thank you to all those who worked to free your beloved daughter, and certainly, not to threaten to ‘come to terms’ with those who voted against the deal. For your daughter’s release (something that was ethically and morally required), many Jew will pay with their lives in the coming years. Those same murderers will do everything to murder Jews again. It is clear to everyone that the part of the deal which involves freeing murderers is the bad and worst part of this deal.”
Albag later clarified his position, saying that his criticism was intended only for the politicians who opposed the deal and he doesn’t, chalilah, judge bereaved families.
The confrontation in the Knesset:
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
Reality is not black and white.
The deal is a terrible deal.
The fact that we’re could have had a similar deal months ago makes you feel like the soldiers who have been killed or maimed sacrificed for nothing (not entirely true since they did destroy much of Hamas command and control).
There will undoubtedly be more attacks (hopefully foiled) that will occur for to this deal. The Shalit deal led to October 7th.
All that being said, we should celebrate the repatriation of the hostages who are being returned and not burden them with the repercussions I mentioned above.
These repercussions are to be an albatross around the necks of politicians and military leaders, not the hostages or their families.