UN chief calls for release of all captives, end to war
UN chief Antonio Guterres has reiterated the need for an “unconditional release” of captives held in Gaza and an end to the war following the news of six captives being found dead in southern Gaza.
“I will never forget my meeting last October with the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin and other hostage families. Today’s tragic news is a devastating reminder of the need for the unconditional release of all hostages and an end to the nightmare of war in Gaza,” he wrote on X.
The body of Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American, was among those retrieved by the Israeli army on Saturday.
Givatayim mayor declares strike, calls on others to join
The mayor of Givatayim, an Israeli city east of Tel Aviv, has declared a general strike on Monday to demand the return of Israeli captives still held in Gaza while calling on other mayors to join him.
“The idea that military pressure will return hostages has collapsed,” the mayor said.
Earlier, opposition leader Yair Lapid had called for a strike in response to the death of six Israeli captives whose bodies were found on Saturday in Rafah and amid mounting pressure on Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal.
Tel Aviv mayor says munipality will join Monday’s strike
Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai says the municipality will join tomorrow’s strike in support of the families of the captives.
“The Israeli government abandoned them, but the State of Israel is us. As a sign of solidarity with the abductees and their families, the municipality of Tel Aviv-Jaffa joins the strike,” Huldai wrote on X.
“Tomorrow, starting in the morning until noon, there will be no public reception and we will allow all female and male employees to go out and support the families’ struggle. Take to the streets.”
EU’s top diplomat calls for ceasefire after killing of six captives
Josep Borrell has expressed his horror over the “murder of six Israeli hostages of Hamas” whose bodies were discovered in a tunnel in Rafah.
“These young innocent men and women should have long been brought to safety and to their loved ones,” Borrell wrote on X, urging a ceasefire and the release of the remaining captives.
Israel says the captives died in Hamas captivity, while the Palestinian group says an Israeli air strike killed them.
Israeli presence at Philadelphi, Netzarim corridors ‘not operationally necessary’
Mossad chief David Barnea says Israel’s military should withdraw from the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors as part of a captive-release deal, saying its presence there is “not operationally necessary”.
According to Israel Hayom, Barnea made the comments in a private meeting with captives’ relatives on Friday, updating them on the status of the ceasefire negotiations to release their loved ones.
A dispute over the Netzarim Corridor, which cuts through central Gaza, remains a key sticking point to the deal, he said. That’s because Israeli negotiators have insisted that Palestinians returning to northern Gaza first be vetted at the corridor. But Hamas has insisted on Israel’s full withdrawal from the enclave, including Netzarim and Philadelphi.
On Thursday, Israel’s security cabinet approved a military plan for its forces to remain in the corridors despite fierce resistance from Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
