Ben Gvir, Israel’s national security minister and a far-right politician, issued a warning on Tuesday that any deal with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) to secure the release of hostages taken during the October attack could result in “disasters.” He expressed concern about a possible pact that may include the release of Palestinian prisoners and ease the flow of fuel into the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, the mother of two minors kidnapped by Hamas and held in Gaza has pleaded for their safe return home. She made her request during a session outside the Israeli army headquarters in Tel Aviv, saying that she should be able to move forward with this agreement without any delay.
On Monday, relatives of nearly 240 kidnapped people warned that a bill introduced by Ben Gvir to impose the death penalty on terrorism suspects would put hostages in grave danger. The Hostage Families Forum stated that this sensitive issue should be discussed in private and professional settings and not endanger innocent lives.
Ben Gvir announced that he will present his draft for this bill to the Knesset on Saturday. In January, he openly stated his intention to include capital punishment as part of his plans for combating terrorism. Hamas attacks have resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths and more than 240 kidnappings in Israel since 2008. In turn, Israeli military actions have led to over 13,300 Palestinian deaths in Gaza and more than 200 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces or settlers in other areas since 2014.