Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to quickly finalize a ceasefire with Hamas to ensure the release of the remaining hostages from Gaza.
As per Reuters, this comes as Israel receives the bodies of six hostages captured on October 7.
Gallant said on his social media account X (formerly Twitter), "It's too late for the abductees who were murdered in cold blood. The abductees who remain in the captivity of Hamas must be returned home."
He urged the political-security cabinet to meet immediately and reverse the decision to keep troops in the Philadelphi corridor, which is seen as a key obstacle in ceasefire negotiations.
Gallant has had frequent disagreements with Netanyahu and hardline ministers about the need for a deal to end the fighting and secure the hostages' release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Earlier, during a Thursday cabinet meeting, Gallant reportedly confronted Netanyahu, stressing the urgency of addressing the Philadelphi corridor issue.
Netanyahu responded by reaffirming Israel’s commitment to a hostage deal but blamed Hamas for rejecting proposals agreed with the United States.
He stated that the killing of the six hostages, discovered in a tunnel in Rafah, showed Hamas’s lack of interest in halting the conflict.
As of 26 August 2024, over 40,435 Palestinian have been reported as killed in the Israel–Hamas war.
