Bereaved parents from the Heroes Forum on Tuesday met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following reports that a new ceasefire-prisoner swap deal with the Hamas terror group may be close.
Dani Steinberg, father of late Col. Yonatan Steinberg, a commander in the Nahal Brigade, said, "Let us offer the Prime Minister support in continuing to stand up to the pressures from within and without."
"In previous meetings with him, the Prime Minister was determined, and sent clear messages that he would keep the promises to bring down Hamas' rule and bring back all of the hostages. We have come to hear what is truly happening. I call on the Prime Minister to stand behind the promises he made us."
Itzik Fitoussi, whose son Yishai was killed in the battle for the Nahal Oz command post, said at the start of the meeting, "We have come to ensure that the Prime Minister is still with us in his determination to protect the State of Israel's security. Today 19 years ago, we were evicted from our homes in Gush Katif, and we see what that caused. The lesson must be learned, we must not agree to a reckless deal."
Yehoshua Shani, father of Captain Ori Shani, who was killed in the battle for Kissufim, said, "This meeting comes at a very critical hour for the nation of Israel. On the table is a deal which we are very afraid will harm Israel's security. Ipresent to you a photograph which was taken the year the 'Shalit deal' was signed. In this photo you see ten-year-old children, among them Ori and Eitan Mor, who is held hostage in Gaza. We call today to the Prime Minister: Say no to a second Shalit deal, say no to a deal which will cause Israel's security to regress. We will call on him to look into the eyes of our children, who are in this photo, and the [eyes] of all Israel's children, and to say: 'We will make a deal, but that deal will not harm the nation's security.'"
Itzik Bonzel, father of Sergeant Amit Bonzel, who fell in battle in Gaza, said, "This morning, we learned that the State of Israel does not have a list of which hostages are alive and which are dead. It is unthinkable that we are going into a deal which has future consequences for the State of Israel's security, without knowing all of the data. We will demand that the Prime Minister provide answers to these questions, and we will tell him: 'We are not another star on the US flag, we are a sovereign country, strong, and therefore there is no situation in which Israel will surrender and Hamas will return to ruling Gaza."
Ditza Or, mother of Avinatan Or, who is held hostage in Gaza, exited the meeting with Netanyahu, saying, "I am leaving this meeting with Netanyahu very worried. In the most optimistic scenario in my eyes, the Prime Minister will sign a deal in which 30 hostages will be released, over half of whom are not alive. I see that only in another two years will something good happen for my son. This is unthinkable."
Avinatan Or is the boyfriend of Noa Argamani, whose kidnapping became symbolic of the hostages' plight. Argamani was rescued along with three other hostages in June's Operation Arnon.