Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was abducted during the October 7 massacre and continues to be held captive 18 months later, turned to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding that he enter into a deal that would release all of the 59 remaining hostages.
„Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, I directly appeal to you, who is again cooking up a partial ’selection‘ deal instead of finishing the war and returning everyone,“ Zangauker stated at the beginning of a video address.
„According to medical information in my hands, my Matan is being held captive with a high likelihood of suffering the muscle degeneration that most of our family members suffer from,“ she stated. „You are also well aware of Matan’s medical condition and the conditions in which he is held – bound in heavy chains, without even the possibility of standing in the underground tunnel. He’s going through a Holocaust.“
She revealed that her son is being held together with American citizen Edan Alexander, who has been the focus of recent efforts of the American government. „Netanyahu, I demand – if there is a deal in which Edan [Alexander] comes out, then Matan, who is also held with him, must also come out. Matan will not survive alone and he must go out.“
She added to the end: „If Matan will be abandoned alone in the tunnel, all the people of Israel will know that the prime minister deliberately decided to impose a death sentence on a citizen who was abducted from his house in his pajamas, solely to inflict his personal vengeance in his family.“
The Saudi al-Arabiya channel reported earlier today that the mediating states in the US are striving to obtain a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and an exchange of hostages for terrorist prisoners this month.
According to the report, Hamas agreed to increase the number of hostages to be released under the agreement, and the United States said it would exert pressure on Israel to accept this deal.
The Qatari-based Al Jazeera network reported that Hamas was ready to release nine hostages and there has been American pressure exerted on the organization to increase the number of hostages released.
