Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, along with Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, who is in charge of the Independence Ceremonies, Miri Regev, met with the torchbearers for Israel’s 77th Independence Da, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.
The PM noted that there are still about 24 living hostages and efforts are being made to return them and the deceased hostages home.
Sara whispered to him that there are fewer than 24 living hostages, and Netanyahu corrected himself and emphasized that this is the maximum number. „Of course, we have another important mission, not only to win, but also to bring them home. To date we have brought 196 of our hostages home, 147 alive. There are up to 24 alive. I say up to, and the rest of course unfortunately are not alive, but we will return them. This is in the same spirit.“
The The Hostages and Missing Families Forum commented: „We demand that the Prime Minister clarify his words and those of his wife. If there is any new intelligence or information regarding the condition of our loved ones, we demand to know everything.“
A source in the negotiation team responded: „The number of living hostages (24) that the Prime Minister mentioned in the meeting is indeed the correct official number, and it is also the official number that was submitted to the mediators during negotiations.“
