Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently held a meeting with the families of deceased hostages whose bodies are still being held in Gaza. The meeting took place on Sunday, just hours before Netanyahu announced to Israeli media that the 'intense phase' of the war is nearing its end.
One of the family members present at the meeting, Ruby Chen, whose son Itay's body is among those held by Hamas, shared insights from the gathering. Chen mentioned that Netanyahu did not hint at any shift in focus for the Israeli military during the meeting, nor did he mention his upcoming interview later that day. Chen expressed confusion over the government's strategy.
Chen noted that this meeting marked the first time the prime minister had met exclusively with families of the deceased hostages. She remarked that the timing of the meeting felt belated, stating, 'It's a bit late for him to meet us at this point.'
The meeting at Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem exceeded the expected duration, lasting for over two hours. An Israeli official confirmed the occurrence of the meeting on Sunday.
During the meeting, family members had the opportunity to share their emotions and engage in heartfelt conversations with Netanyahu. Chen highlighted the prevalent frustration among the families, emphasizing their desire for the safe return of all hostages, including the deceased individuals.
'He (Netanyahu) is responsible, and we wanted to share our concern and ensure his commitment to bringing all of them back, including the deceased,' Chen stated. She also mentioned the families' quest for guarantees that would facilitate closure and resolution.
