A delegation of the children and siblings of Israeli hostages being held captive by Hamas in Gaza met with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She told them that the President Joe Biden, is promoting a holiday deal for the release of the hostages ahead of Christmas next week.
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Clinton also urged relatives of the hostages to put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to those present at the meeting, she told the families that Netanyahu is only busy with "politics and personal political survival," and that Knesset seats are of more interest to this government than the hostages.
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Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with siblings and children of hostages in Gaza
(Photo: Roy Bushi)
"As long as the hostages are not the main and primary target for Israel, then everything that I or President Biden say or do is of little value," Clinton told them, according to participants in the meeting.
Since the beginning of the war, Clinton has been at the forefront of advocacy and support for Israel. At the meeting with the family members, she did not spare criticism of Netanyahu and his government. According to them, Clinton said she knew about significant efforts to bring about a "Christmas deal," but clarified that ultimately the decision-makers are the Israeli government and Hamas. She promised to continue to do everything in her power to make such a deal happen.
The meeting was attended by 16 family representatives who shared with Clinton information about their kidnapped relatives and what is known about their condition. Among those that participated in the meeting were relatives of hostages Naama Levy, Alex Lobanov and Eviatar David, the sister of the missing Hanan Yablonka and the father of lookout soldier Roni Eshel who was murdered on October 7.
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Hillary Clinton shows her dog tag calling for hostages' return in meeting with hostage family members
(Photo: Roy Bushi)
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Hillary Clinton speaks with siblings and children of Israelis held hostage in Gaza at Columbia University
(Photo Roy Bushi)
The families shared personal stories, displayed photos and also gave the former secretary of state a dog tag bearing the inscription: "My heart is a prisoner in Gaza." Clinton was well-briefed on the activity of the families. "The work that the families and the forum does is so important and influential. You need to keep doing it. Put pressure on all the players involved," she told them.
At a meeting with a relative of freed hostage 4-year-old Abigail Edan last week, Biden told her: "We hope for a Christmas miracle and we want our families to be with us this Christmas."
On Wednesday night Biden said that "we are pushing for a deal, "but admitted that he does not foresee one anytime soon. His words came following a report that Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal for a week of respite in exchange for the release of 40 hostages. Since then, Hamas announced in a statement on Thursday that the Palestinian factions reject any talks about prisoner swaps until after Israeli "aggression" is ended. "There is a Palestinian national decision that there should be no talk about prisoners or exchange deals except after a full cessation of aggression", the statement said. In addition to Hamas, Islamic Jihad, a smaller Palestinian terrorist group, is also holding hostages in Gaza.
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Relative of a hostage in Gaza tells Hillary Clinton about his family member
(Photo: Roy Bushi)
At the meeting with Clinton, the relatives of the hostages also talked about the challenges that come with the dark period they are going through, shared their frustration with the attitude of the international organizations and thanked Clinton for standing by Israel.
The meeting took place on the campus of Columbia University in New York, where Clinton lectures alongside the dean of the Faculty of Public Policy, Israeli Professor Keren Yarhi-Milo. The meeting was initiated by Israeli Columbia students.