- Title: Relatives of Gaza hostages say signed deal the only solution, plead with Trump
- Date: 29th March 2025
- Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (MARCH 29, 2025) (REUTERS) FAMILIES OF HOSTAGES AHEAD OF STATEMENTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI PROTESTER AND COUSIN OF SLAIN HOSTAGE ITAI SVIRSKY, NAAMA WEINBERG, SAYING: "The only way to bring them home is through a signed deal. Our hostages will not survive much longer in Hamas tunnels. They're starved, bombed and could be killed by their captors at a
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: Gaza Hamas Israel Palestinians captives captivity ceasefire deal families hostages relatives
- Location: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
- City: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001272329032025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Relatives of Israeli hostages held by Hamas said on Saturday (March 29) that a 'signed deal' is the only way to ensure their return and called the resumption of Israel's military campaign in Gaza this month as politically motivated.
"It is clear to all that military pressure will kill the hostages. And it is clear that the war was resumed for purely political motives," said Naama Weinberg, cousin of slain hostage Itai Svirsky whose body had been retrieved from Gaza by the Israeli military in December.
Yehuda Cohen, the father of hostage Nimrod Cohen, addressed U.S. President Donald Trump directly and pleaded with him to push a deal through. "The entire nation of Israel is looking to you, sir, to make this happen," he said.
Israel resumed the war against Hamas in Gaza on March 18, after a two-months of relative calm under a truce deal that saw the return from Hamas captivity of 33 Israeli hostages, alive and deceased. Fifty-nine hostages are still held in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
(Production: Rami Amichay, Lion Schellerer) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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