Families of Israeli hostages in Gaza ask Netanyahu not to travel to the US until agreement is reached

The platform representing the families of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay his trip to the United States to address a joint session of Congress until an agreement is reached with Hamas on the release of hostages.

Netanyahu “has the freedom to travel wherever he wants, these hostages do not”the group said in a message. In it, it “implores” the prime minister to prioritize negotiations in Cairo. There, Israel and Hamas are currently engaged in some of the most serious talks in months over a deal that would stop the war in exchange for the release of hostages and hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Premature journey for hostages’ families

The Israeli president is scheduled to travel to Washington on July 24 to address a joint session of the two chambers of the US Congress, after receiving an invitation from parliamentary leaders from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

However, for the relatives of those kidnapped during the Hamas attacks on October 7, Making a speech about the war without a deal before an agreement to bring them back – which also has the support of the international community – is premature.since it ignores the main objective of the offensive in Gaza: freeing the hostages.

Indirect negotiations with Hamas in Cairo

Last night, the head of Israel’s internal security agency Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, traveled to Cairo to take part in indirect negotiations with Hamas to achieve a ceasefire that would allow for an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

According to the Israeli media Walla, Bar will participate in talks on the names of Palestinian prisoners who would be released if a deal is reached, as well as on future control of the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.

The North African country will host delegations from the United States and Israel in the coming days to discuss “pending points” regarding a possible ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

While the warring parties view the latest round of negotiations positively, they are insisting on what have been their red lines for months: for Hamas, achieving a definitive end to the war in Gaza, and for Israel, ending Hamas’ control over the enclave, in addition to rescuing all the hostages.

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