Released Hostages and Captives’ Relatives Meet With War Cabinet

By Matis Glenn

Released hostages shared their traumatic experiences and family members of those still held by the Hamas terror group pleaded with the government to bring their loved ones home as both groups met with the emergency war cabinet Tuesday, reports the Jerusalem Post.

“The hostages are going through a Holocaust,” one attendee of the meeting said, heard on recordings of the meeting.

At the emotional meeting, released hostages shared with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Minister Benny Gantz, their experiences in captivity, including reports of being denied basic necessities like water, and that assaults are common.

Family members of the remaining hostages criticized the government for only freeing women and children in the hostages negotiations.

“My father may be a man, but he is still in captivity, and they are humiliating him,” one young woman said.

“Hearing what you went through in the strikes is shocking, and it is still continuing,” Netanyahu told the meeting’s attendees. “It penetrates our hearts and all our considerations. If you wanted to send the message, you succeeded.”

He added that bringing home the rest of the hostages is still a major priority in the war against Hamas.