Israeli President Isaac Herzog released a statement on a planned deal between Israel and Hamas to free some 50 Israeli women and child hostages held in Gaza.
The deal includes a ceasefire agreement for at least four days. President Herzog acknowledged people’s doubts about the deal, calling them “understandable, painful and difficult.” However, Herzog also said that “given the circumstances,” he supports the decision of the prime minister and the government to move forward with the hostage release deal. He emphasised:
This is a moral and ethical duty that correctly expresses the Jewish and Israeli value of securing the freedom of those in captivity, with the hope that this will be the first step towards bringing all hostages home. The State of Israel, the Israel Defence Forces and all security forces will continue to act in every way possible to achieve this goal, along with restoring absolute security to the citizens of Israel.
Israeli bombardment has rendered much of northern Gaza uninhabitable and displaced 1.7 million people. All of them are now crowded into the south, where food, fuel, clean water, shelter and much more have been in short supply for nearly seven weeks since Israel cut off supplies.
