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Forty-four former hostages and over 250 relatives of captives have signed a letter demanding the government halt the fighting in Gaza, resume negotiations and secure the release of all individuals still being held by Hamas.
"Stop the fighting, return to the negotiating table and finalize a deal that brings back all the hostages — even at the cost of ending the war. Military pressure endangers them and nothing is more urgent than their return," the letter read.
The signatories, including former hostages, warned that ongoing military operations put the captives at risk. "This letter was written in blood and tears. Our friends, families of those killed and murdered in captivity, are crying out: stop the fighting, return to negotiations and finalize a deal to bring back all the hostages — even if it means ending the war. Military pressure endangers them, and nothing is more urgent than bringing them home," they wrote.
"We all stand together — those who survived captivity and endured its horrors, the families of hostages still in Gaza living in terror, those who embraced their loved ones upon their return, and those who buried them knowing they could have been saved. Together, we say: enough!
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“Military pressure kills living hostages and erases the missing. This isn’t a slogan; it’s reality. Forty-one hostages have already paid with their lives — we, their families, have paid as well. They could have returned to our embrace and to recovery but now they never will."
The letter accuses the government of prioritizing an "endless war" over rescuing the hostages. "This is a criminal policy — you have no mandate to sacrifice 59 more captives. We, the families who have unwillingly and against our will borne the heaviest price, raise a red flag in warning: resuming the fighting will cost more hostages their lives and risks creating more Ron Arads. The circle of grief will only grow — for nothing."
Concluding their appeal, they urged, "The fighting must stop and immediate negotiations must begin to reach a comprehensive agreement: all the hostages in exchange for ending the war and finding a solution for post-war Gaza. If you don’t act, the next hostage’s blood — and the fate of them all — will be on your hands."
The signatories include: Gadi Mozes, Ohad Ben Ami, Raz Ben Ami, Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon, Sahar Calderon, Erez Calderon, Eliya Cohen, Liri Albag, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Agam Berger, Karina Ariev, Arbel Yehud, Ada Sagi, Shani Goren, Nili Margalit, Gabriela Leimberg, Fernando Marman, Clara Marman, Yaffa Adar, Ditza Heyman, Ofir Engel, Amit Soussana, Keren Munder, Ruti Munder, Liam Or, Adina Moshe, Channah Peri, Raaya Rotem, Liat Atzili, Noga Weiss, Shiri Weiss, Margalit Mozes, Rimon Buchstab-Kirscht, Sharon Aloni Cunio, Daniel Aloni, Ilana Gritzewsky, Karina Engel-Bart, Norlin Babdila, Meirav Tal, Gelienor “Jimmy” Leano Pacheco, Shoshan Haran and Ofelia Whitman.