Hostage mother critiques Gaza deal: 'A cruel selection process' but roadmap to future deals

Yahoo

2 days ago

"If it is implemented, it will be possible to move forward toward a comprehensive agreement that will bring everyone home and end the war, as President Trump has said."
Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker and the leader of Israel's hostage movement, voiced her support for the hostage deal proposal on the table, while arguing that it is not perfect, in a statement to the press Saturday afternoon on Begin Road in Tel Aviv ahead of the weekly Bring Them Home rally.
Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, speaks on Begin Road, in Tel Aviv, at a press conference, July 5, 2025. (credit: Avshalom Sassoni)
"The proposal once again includes phases and once again includes a cruel selection process," Zangauker said. "But if it is implemented, it will be possible to move forward toward a comprehensive agreement that will bring everyone home and end the war, as [US] President [Donald] Trump has said."
She then criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for "blowing up the previous agreement," which, if he had not done so, "the hostages would already be home."
"At this moment—when there is grave concern for the hostages' lives due to military pressure, and when our heroic soldiers are dying in a war that has already achieved its goals—a ceasefire is the order of the day. A ceasefire is a choice for life."
Yechiel Yehoud, father of captivity survivor Arbel Yehoud: "Our Arbel sits before the political and military deicison-makers and illustrates to them what it means to be a hostage in Gaza when war in being waged around her and at every moment the army approaches, the terrorists point a gun barrel at her head. She demands in meetings to take brave steps to end the war due to the mortal danger hovering over our dear ones' heads.
"To you, President Trump, I say thank you for brining our Arbel back to us, you and your envoy, dear Mr. Witkoff. We will be indebted to you for the rest of our lives. Dear President, please don't let up. Continue and help our country as your did with Iran. Bring back all our dear ones in one move and put an end to the hostage crisis in Gaza. Mrs. President, please make a 'bit beautiful hostages deal' as only you can do."
The brother of kidnapped soldier Nimrod Cohen, Yotam Cohen said, "My brother Nimrod is surviving captivity against all odds, but every day the war continues puts him in danger.
"Each additional day also brings more information released for publication—something that must stop. Everyone knows Hamas has been defeated. Everyone understands that we can operate in Gaza just like the IDF operates in Lebanon and will operate in Iran, and that now is the time to leverage these achievements.
"Therefore, ending the war and bringing all the hostages home is clearly in Israel's national interest. That is the ultimate victory," he concluded.
Michel Illouz, father of Guy Illouz, said, "What an inhumane reality this is - to keep our fingers crossed for a deal where only half of our brothers will return, while the other half will have to watch their friends being released when they are not. How do we survive this? Why the hell are they doing this to them? To us? Why? Will they again separate brothers, with one going free while the other remains in hell?"
"Prime Minister - be brave," he continued. "We are all here and will give you everything necessary to execute one comprehensive deal."
'Gali and Ziv were cruelly kidnapped—in one day they vanished. Since then we have been helpless, with exposed nerves and intrusive thoughts," Macabit Mayer, aunt of Ziv and Gali Berman, said. "The worst part—we know where they are and in whose hands. In existential fear, fear of the worst happening to them, with intrusive thoughts about their condition and the soul's war of attrition to push these thoughts aside.
"The operation in Iran was a success beyond imagination. Now diplomatic excellence is required. This is the time for an agreement that saves everyone—living and dead—an agreement that doesn't differentiate between hostages. What god is capable of formulating such a list? And what does it mean for us? Does one go out and the other stay? Do both remain in captivity? In what insane world can such a decision be made!'
'Dear father, what a father you were. Seventeen years of caring and concern, of infinite love. And now, it's my turn to worry about you," Yuval Sharabi, daughter of Yossi Sharabi, said. "To make sure you'll be able to rest, to be buried in the soil of the country you loved so much.
"We work every day anew to remind everyone that there must be one deal, because until then we cannot breathe. To remind everyone that the achievements in Iran are indeed remarkable, but if we don't leverage them for one comprehensive deal—it will be an unbearable failure.'
In the deal, 10 hostages are supposed to be released over the course of 60 days. Under the terms of the deal, eight hostages would be freed on the first day, with two more released on the 50th day.
The remains of 18 deceased hostages would be returned in three phases across the two-month ceasefire.
'My brother was murdered. He was taken for interrogation—and there he was tortured until he was killed. Do we really want to continue with the same pattern?" Dany Elgarat, brother of Yitzhak Elgarat, said. "The time has come to say clearly: 'You shall not stand by your brother's blood.' Do not stand aside when another is bleeding. Do not let military pressure kill those who can still be saved. We must bring back everyone—the living and the dead—everyone.'
'Ever since the October 7 Massacre, the faces of the Israeli hostages have been plastered around the world," Eylon Levy said. "As a busy world tried to move on, they dared you to look them in the eye. Do not forget how this war started. Do not let it end with us still left behind.
"The People of Israel will go to the ends of the earth to bring our loved ones back home. We will not stand idly by our brothers' blood. History will judge those who did.'
Lishaya Miran Lavi, wife of Omri Miran, spoke in a joint speech with Avital Dekel Chen, wife of captivity survivor Sagui Dekel Chen.
'We are in critical days at a crossroads that won't come again. Between despair and hope. Between the desire to preserve our sanity and the desire to dream and hope," Lishay said. "50 worlds. 48 families. One list. One time-bound agreement. I hope so much that we won't be disappointed again. I hope so much that the reality the decision-makers are painting will become real. That all our children will be able to sleep peacefully because their father, their brother, their uncle is at home and not in captivity or in combat. I hope so much that my Roni and Alma will soon get their father back. I ask you not to stop for a moment and continue in every possible way to remember them, to make their voices heard, especially in these days. Roni and Alma deserve a hug from Omri.'
'Who would have believed that in the cruelest thing the State of Israel has ever known, they would make us stand in line and say who gets to be first and who will be told they are last," Avital said. "You cannot imagine what it's like to stand before our children and tell them… yes, there's a deal, but daddy won't return in this deal. I had to say that sentence to my daughters in the first deal that came after 50 days of war. Lishay and many other women had to say it again, even after 500 days.
"These children, whose souls are so delicate, are forced to face news that even we adults cannot withstand. Today I am here on behalf of all the women who fight, who hold on, who lead. Not because they want to be heroes, but because they have no choice. They fight for the children, for the families, and for love.
"We are in fateful days, and I hope the decision-makers will be wise this time, put these children before their eyes, and see the importance of returning fathers to their lives. Such a decision will not only bring change to the lives of many children, but will also bring news about our future. These children, who are the future generation of the State of Israel, need and deserve the assurance that the State of Israel and its leaders will act for them and on their behalf, with the understanding and knowledge that Israel's strength also relies on the strength of the future generation—the generation of our children.'
'How important it is to have a grave," Shlomo Alfasa Goren, cousin of Maya Goren who was returned for burial, said. "Mia's return gave us an opportunity to rehabilitate ourselves, even a little."
"We have been in hard and painful combat for over 600 days. With successes on other fronts that show our military strength, but the war has a central and ongoing failure—why are they still in Gaza? Bring them all back in one deal, without phases. The living for rehabilitation, the dead for proper burial,' he continued.