Families of American hostages still held by terrorists in the Gaza Strip say they don’t have time to wait for “progress” on a deal to free their loved ones, calling on President Biden to deliver results. ing.
“All of them are currently in a dire humanitarian situation,” hostage Omer Neutra’s mother, Orna Neutra, said at a press conference in Lower Manhattan on Friday. She said: “A partially agreed ceasefire or no agreed ceasefire could be a death sentence for our son.”
“I’m tired of hearing about progress towards an agreement,” Neutra said. “We don’t have time to make progress.”
Families gathered Friday to mark six months since their loved ones disappeared in the Gaza Strip as hostages to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Representatives Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) joined the families in their plea.
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Hamas and Islamic Jihad released about half of the hostages in November during a temporary ceasefire as part of a deal that collapsed after just a week, with each side accusing the other of violating the terms of the deal.
Israeli military officials told Fox News’ Jerusalem bureau that they estimate 133 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip.
American hostages in Gaza listen to a speech by Congressman Dan Goldman during a press conference with family members and elected officials of American hostages in Gaza, Friday, April 5, 2024, in New York. families. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
The State Department announced in January that the six surviving hostages were American citizens. The United States continues to negotiate a deal with Qatar and Egypt to release all hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, but negotiations have stalled in recent weeks.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier this week that “immediate action must be taken not only to allow for the release of the hostages, but also to allow for a dramatic increase in humanitarian assistance, and obviously to allow for a better ceasefire.” Our belief that a ceasefire is necessary remains unchanged.” It’s about protecting civilians. ”
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Hamas also keeps the remains of dead hostages as additional bargaining chips. The family has not been able to begin the traditional grieving process of sitting Lord Shiva because the body has not been returned.
“The situation in Gaza is truly terrible: starvation, destruction, disease and death,” said Gillian Kaye, stepmother of American hostage Sagui Dekerchen. “How can people of conscience not feel that something has to happen? There needs to be a ceasefire.”
Congressman Mike Lawler speaks during a press conference with families and elected officials of American hostages in the Gaza Strip, Friday, April 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
However, Hamas is demanding the gradual release of the remaining hostages in exchange for an end to the war and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Israel walked away from the negotiating table after Hamas rejected its latest offer, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slamming the terror group’s demands as delusional.
Bill Ackman, a billionaire and Harvard graduate who has been vocal on many issues related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, said on social media platform I still believe that he has no idea that he is being taken over.”
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“The White House has issued hundreds, if not thousands, of statements, specifically to appease voters,” Ackman wrote. “But there is a big difference between WH issuing a statement and Biden addressing the issue on his own terms.”
“The media has written countless articles about Biden’s comments about Snicker bar downsizing, junk fees, and shrinkflation, but there’s nothing the media has written or talked about on TV about Biden elevating the American hostage crisis. I can’t think of any examples. I’m a huge consumer of the amount of media,” Ackman added. “For political reasons, the administration probably doesn’t want to remind the American people that there are still hostages being held.”
This combination photo shows President Joe Biden (left) on March 8, 2024 in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 28, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Biden and Netanyahu met in a speech on Monday, March 18. It was the first exchange in more than a month amid growing rifts between the allies over the food crisis in Gaza and acts of war. (AP photo)
“Our whole family lives in a different galaxy,” family members said in an interview with Fox News Digital earlier this week, adding that each day they make “a decision to get up and pretend to be human.” .
“We’re in a constant state of trauma, fear, pain, anxiety, misery, and it’s constant. There’s not a moment that goes by that we don’t feel traumatized,” she said, last heard from her son minutes before his arm was blown off. said Rachel Goldberg-Pollin. Destroyed by terrorists.
Her son, Hersh Goldberg Pollin, 23, was abducted from the Nova music festival near the Gaza border when Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched an attack.
“I want to pray and be optimistic and hope that our leaders continue to be leaders,” she said. “Being a leader means doing what’s right for the people, even if it’s not necessarily the right thing for the leader. It takes a lot of courage and selflessness, tenacity and bravery, and That’s what I want the leaders of all these different organizations to lean into. ”
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Politico reported that Biden was “privately furious” about the airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen relief workers, and former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau said he was “privately furious” about the bombing that killed seven World Central Kitchen relief workers, and former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau said he was “privately furious” about the bombing that killed seven World Central Kitchen relief workers. The report said Biden was “privately furious” in response to a Politico article that slammed the president for refusing to use leverage. Because he kills and starves innocent people,” he said, adding that reports of personal opposition “only make him look weak.”
Fox News Digital’s Ruth Marks Eglash and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
