I met Last week, I met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu three times. As I reflect on these meetings and the seven days since the 300th anniversary of the October 7 massacre, I am left with a powerful feeling.
The first of several meetings was a deeply personal encounter that I will never forget. The Prime Minister invited the American hostage families to meet him and a delegation of Israeli hostage families. During that first meeting, the meeting was conducted in Hebrew, but I spoke directly with the Prime Minister in English.
Then I watched him give a powerful speech in Congress, in which he passionately portrayed the conflict with Hamas as a clash between civilization and barbarism, a struggle for freedom against a tyrannical ideology.
He praised the diverse and selfless Israeli people and thanked former President Donald Trump for the Abraham Accords, a framework to which we all hope to return once this conflict is over. Prime Minister Netanyahu also praised President Biden for his unwavering support and defense of Israel, who has demonstrated his commitment to Israel not just with words but with actions.
The hostages’ families in the room hung on his every word, and they all noticed that his speech contained no significant references to the hostages — no mention of the hostage trade, no acknowledgment of the suffering of the hostages and their families.
After the speech, we met the prime minister, his wife Sara, and their son Yair at a reception hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana). Sara’s bright orange suit was a perfect accent for theVivas BoysChildren ages 1 and 4 who have been held hostage in Gaza for 300 days.
The next day, we met with Netanyahu alongside Biden at the White House, the culmination of a tireless effort to advocate for the American hostage families, who have engaged with U.S. leadership countless times over the last nine months.
It is well known that a framework for an agreement exists and has already been agreed in principle. Problems remain, but they are not insurmountable.
Biden The plan was announced on May 31. It represents work that was completed months ago. But while we had previously heard that Hamas was not ready to agree, it now seems to be Netanyahu who is hesitating.
I, like many others, believed that when the Prime Minister came to the capital he would announce a deal to bring the remaining 120 hostages home. For 300 days, we have continued our support efforts with a bipartisan approach.
At the recent Republican National Convention, the parents of 22-year-old Omer NeutraDealt with“Bring them home!” chanted 20,000 Republican Americans.
That same day, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) reaffirmed their support. Former President Trump, who also met with Prime Minister Netanyahu last week, has repeatedly said it is time to reach a deal to end the conflict and bring the hostages home.
In a few weeks, he hopes to bring them home with that same bipartisan message and reach a deal at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 120 innocent people Eight of them are Americans, being held against their will by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.
The hostages’ families know that President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee who also met with the prime minister on Thursday, are united in their staunch support for Israel and its security, and in their tireless efforts to bring all hostages home after 300 days of captivity.
I apologize if Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior administration officials forgot what I said during our meeting at the White House on Thursday afternoon, but there is an agreement on the table, and it is a good agreement. No agreement is perfect. The hostages have suffered for 294 days. Families are shattered, and the Israeli people are traumatized. If we do not make this agreement today, there will be no next one. If there is no agreement, the hostages who are still alive will remain dead in Gaza forever. The time is now.
I told Prime Minister Netanyahu that the United States is his greatest ally and Mr. Biden is his greatest advocate, having stood by his side for 300 days and prior to that for 40 years as Israel’s closest friend.
Netanyahu is one of only two people who can get this deal done. It’s up to him and Biden. Netanyahu is the only one who can sign the deal. It’s time for him to show bold leadership and political will. We’re running out of time.
My final question to Prime Minister Netanyahu and Mr. Biden was, “What can you promise for us?”
President Biden responded that he would do everything in his power to bring their loved ones home as quickly as possible. Prime Minister Netanyahu looked at him, then at me, and said, “That’s exactly what the president said.”
As I write this, I am flying to visit my niece Leron and nephew Zoli, little Abigail, her siblings and cousins, all of whom have seen the powerful photo of my aunt and Netanyahu shaking hands at their first meeting last week, a photo that shows two people with different goals.
My four-year-old niece, Abigail, was once held hostage in Gaza for 51 days.
I can’t wait for the moment when Abigail asks me, “What did you tell Bibi?” and I will answer, “I told him to be courageous and bold.”
I hold a miraculous four-year-old girl who is living proof of bravery and daring. Her courage and survival are proof that bravery and daring can triumph.
My question now to Prime Minister Netanyahu is: Would you have the courage and the boldness to sign the agreement presented to you today and bring the hostages home now?
Liz Hirsch Naftali is a hostage release advocate and humanitarian ambassador.
