Families of Hostages in Gaza Despair As Assassination Halts Talks
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son Sagui is held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, said he left a meeting last week with President Biden more optimistic than he had felt in months that a deal to free his son could be close.
But in the intervening days, a new crisis has unfolded with the assassinations of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas’s political branch, and Fuad Shukr, a senior figure in Hezbollah. The negotiations, which already appeared to have reached an impasse, appear to have halted for now.
Reached on Thursday, Mr. Dekel-Chen sounded far less hopeful as tensions spiked across the region. His son was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community devastated by the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7; roughly 100 of its residents were either killed or taken hostage.
“It seems like it will delay any possible resolution, cease-fire or hostage release,” said Mr. Dekel-Chen, referring to the assassination of Mr. Haniyeh, who played a key role in cease-fire talks. “It could very easily mean that revenge, retribution is taken against our loved ones.”
In a speech on Wednesday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said the decision to press onward with the war effort, including by striking senior Hamas leaders, was bringing Israel closer to a deal to bring home the hostages. Some, particularly the families of the remaining hostages, appeared unconvinced.
“I don’t see the straight line that goes from that assassination to the release of the hostages,” said Mr. Dekel-Chen.
On Thursday, as Israel braced for retaliation by Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, the families of the remaining 115 living and dead captives marked a bitter milestone — 300 days since their loved ones were taken hostage. That morning, Hamas-led militants swept into southern Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and abducting 250 others back to Gaza.
Over 40 of the remaining hostages are presumed dead, according to the Israeli authorities. The families of hostages believe that reaching a deal to free them as soon as possible is the only way to ensure that any of them come home alive.
Israel and Hamas reached a weeklong truce to free 105 of the captives in November. But in the months since, Hamas has said it will only release more hostages as part of a permanent cease-fire. Israeli leaders have vowed to continue fighting until they destroy Hamas in Gaza.
Both Israel and Hamas have agreed on the overall framework for a cease-fire that would unfold in three stages. The proposal was backed by the Biden administration and endorsed by the U.N. Security Council.
The families of Israeli hostages have grown increasingly critical of Mr. Netanyahu. They say he has not done enough to reach a deal to free their loved ones. Although Mr. Netanyahu’s government greenlit the framework privately, he declined to clearly endorse it publicly for weeks and has since added new demands.
Agreeing to a permanent cease-fire would endanger Mr. Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, which depends on far-right allies demanding that Gaza be brought under Israeli rule.
Anat Angrest, whose son Matan was abducted on Oct. 7, accused Mr. Netanyahu and his allies of “undermining a deal.”
“So much disappointment, Matan.” Ms. Angrest said at a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night. “Your prime minister did not bring you home for 300 days now, and even expressed pride that he didn’t succumb to pressure when there was an opportunity.”
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