Hostages’ Families Urge Blinken to Leverage Sinwar’s Elimination for a Deal

Families of American citizens held hostage in Gaza met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, urging him to use the opportunity created by the elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to restart negotiations for the release of all hostages. The families, including former captive Aviva Siegel, emphasized the urgency of securing a deal, warning that the hostages do not have time for prolonged delays.

The meeting, which also included U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew, focused on leveraging Qatar’s mediation efforts to advance talks. Sinwar, who was seen as a major obstacle to negotiations, was recently killed, creating what the families view as a pivotal moment to push for a resolution.

"We need action now," the families stressed, imploring Blinken to press international mediators to prioritize the hostages’ release.

Earlier on the same day, Walla reported that 15 additional Israeli soldiers signed a letter refusing to continue serving unless progress is made on securing a deal for the hostages’ release, bringing the total number of signatories to 130. Two of these soldiers are currently on active duty, including a female officer.

In the letter, sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi, the soldiers called for an immediate halt to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. "We, reserve and active duty service members, officers, and soldiers, hereby announce that we cannot continue like this. The war in Gaza is sentencing our brothers and sisters in captivity to death," the letter stated.

The growing discontent among IDF soldiers highlights the intensifying pressure on the Israeli government to prioritize the safe return of the hostages. For the families, every day without a deal increases the risk to their loved ones still held in captivity.

As negotiations hang in the balance, Blinken’s role in facilitating talks through Qatar could be crucial in determining the fate of the remaining hostages.

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