President Isaac Herzog today (Tuesday), met at his residence with an international task force on the issue of the hostages and the missing. The task force includes representatives from the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, and the United Kingdom, and was convened by Israel’s Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing Brigadier General (Res.) Gal Hirsch. At the beginning of the meeting, President Herzog said: “There is a major scar on our nation. There is a major scar on the face of the earth: the issue of the hostages. We want them back home as soon as possible. It's a huge task. We are supporting and hoping and praying and also calling on all parties to the negotiations in Qatar to move forward as much as possible and end this huge tragedy.” He added, “This is something that should not be acceptable anywhere in the world, in modern-day affairs, in human lives, in the international arena. The fact that you're here on behalf of such important nations is another example of how this issue is on the top of the agenda. It is the key to the door to moving forward for a better future.”
