"There won’t be any hostages to release" if Israel maintains plan to eliminate Hamas, former hostage says

Former Israeli hostage Adina Moshe on Wednesday criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that “there won’t be any hostages to release” if his government continues its plan to eliminate Hamas.

Moshe, 72, who was kidnapped by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz and held hostage in Gaza for seven weeks, spoke at a news conference for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum — directing her comments specifically to Netanyahu.

“Mr. Netanyahu, I’m turning to you. It’s all in your hands. You are the one. You’re the one who can. And I’m really afraid that if you continue the way you do, the destruction of Hamas, there won’t be any hostages to release,” Moshe said.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters also delivered a message to Netanyahu and the Israeli War Cabinet in a release on Wednesday.

“If the hostages are not returned home: the citizens of Israel should know they live in a state that is not committed to their security, that the mutual responsibility in it has died,” the families forum said in the release.

“They who do not protect their citizens will find that their citizens lose faith in them and their leadership.”

Earlier Wednesday, Netanyahu reiterated that Hamas must be destroyed for Israel to be safe. He dismissed Hamas’ proposals for a ceasefire and hostage deal, calling them “delusional.”

But the Israeli leader did not rule out the possibility of further negotiations.