The Hostages and Missing Families Forum responded on Wednesday to a rare unified statement from Arab League nations - including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt - calling for Hamas to disarm and relinquish control of the Gaza Strip.
“We welcome this important progress and the Arab League's recognition that Hamas must end its rule in Gaza,” the Forum said in a statement. “Kidnapping innocent men, women, and children is a blatant violation of international law and must be unequivocally condemned.”
The Forum emphasized that Hamas recently rejected a proposed hostage release and ceasefire agreement, underscoring the terror group’s continued obstruction of diplomatic efforts.
“Hamas is a terrorist organization that has murdered and kidnapped innocent people, and continues to stand as a barrier to peace,” the statement continued.
The Forum concluded with a call to the international community: “If the international community truly seeks peace, it must join U.S. efforts by first demanding the release of all hostages, followed by an end to the fighting.”