The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters welcomed the government's decision to send Mossad Chief David Barnea to Doha for talks on a possible deal to return the 101 hostages who remain in captivity in Gaza.
"For over a year, 101 hostages have been held captive by Hamas in Gaza and are all currently under severe physical and mental risk. As we approach nearly a year since the last hostage release deal, other than three rescue operations, we have only received hostages in body bags. A negotiated deal is the only way to bring all hostages home," the forum stated.
The statement continued, "We must leverage the last military achievements, particularly the elimination of Sinwar, to secure a single comprehensive deal for all hostages' return. An immediate deal must be reached to return everyone - to save the lives of those still alive, and to return the murdered for proper burial."
"We demand the Israeli Prime Minister to grant the negotiating team full authority to secure this deal. Time is running out for the hostages - each passing day in captivity could be their last. Too many who endured the horrific conditions of captivity with extraordinary courage may face the same fate as Eden, Carmel, Alex, Hersh, Almog, and Ori of blessed memory, who were executed in captivity. We cannot allow more lives to be lost.
"We urgently call on world leaders to exert maximum pressure on Hamas to accept this deal and end a humanitarian catastrophe that has already claimed too many innocent lives," the forum's statement concluded.