Family members of several of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza held a press conference earlier today demanding clear and decisive statements from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Israel's stance on the negotiations to return their loved ones.
Orly Gilboa, the mother of Daniella Gilboa, who was one of the IDF observers kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base and was one of the soldiers shown in the video taken from the base, revealed that she is worried that she may soon become a grandmother because of the abuse her daughter has been suffering for nine months in captivity.
"Daniela is one of 16 women still held in captivity, for 9 months. Usually, 9 months is associated with new beginnings, birth and happiness, but what do these 9 months mean for women held by monsters? I can’t help it or stop the terrible thought that I might be a grandmother soon. There is a possibility I am already one," Gilboa said.
"We decided to share [the video] in order to call for a deal to end this nightmare for them and for us, to end this unbearable pain. The deal is there, the deal is there to be signed and executed. I am asking my own government to stand behind its own proposal, to be as brave as our girls are, to save them, to save us. So here I am, on behalf of all the hostages' families, calling to the international community to unite in pressuring Hamas to accept this deal and release ALL 120 hostages. We can't afford to waste the opportunity to sign a deal now. We need to end this. Now!"
Luis Har, who was rescued from Hamas captivity after 129 days said, "Every day, every moment there is hell. We need to save all 120 hostages as quickly as possible. It can't be a partial deal. We must bring everyone back. For the families, the uncertainty about what's happening there is terrible. It completely breaks families. There's no time to wait, and no reason for partial measures. Under no circumstances. We want everyone back as soon as possible. Now."
Sharon Sharabi, Brother of Eli Sharabi and the late Yossi Sharabi, said, "The blood flowing and the beating hearts of 120 hostages still in Hamas captivity are waiting for us. First and foremost, for you, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We, the families of the hostages, are doing everything to bring them back - we've supported Netanyahu's deal since you conceived it. In our Sunday meeting, you said that Israel faces an existential threat looming over it. Benjamin Netanyahu, the continued captivity of the hostages by Hamas is the existential threat to Israel."
Ruby Chen, father of American-Israeli Itay Chen, who fell in battle and whose body was taken to Gaza, said, "We do have a deal. What we need now is for Hamas to say yes, and we ask our PM not to lose focus, to keep his eye on the ball and get the deal done. We are out of time. Each week, another family gets a visit from the IDF and receives a notice no one wants to get. Before things change, we just need to get this to the finish line, to bring everyone back and allow us to be reunited with our families."
Mor Korngold, brother of Tal Shoham, said, "I'm here also representing the future generation of young families and the country. In the coming years, I'll face decisions about whether to have children here. I'm not sure we'll have security or revival, because there won't be revival or security in Israel without returning all hostages to Israel. I heard our Prime Minister say he's ready for a partial deal, half. And I want to ask him - am I half a citizen?"
