“It is key to ending the war”

BRUSSELS, May 27. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Relatives of people kidnapped by Hamas in the context of the attacks on October 7 in Israel have demanded this Monday that the European Union increase pressure against the Islamist organization to release the 125 hostages and keep this issue on the agenda.

Within the framework of a visit to Brussels with meetings on the agenda with the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, the Hungarian ambassador to the EU and European officials, relatives of hostages kidnapped by Hamas have insisted that the European bloc keep among its priorities the release of their relatives.

“It is an issue that is bigger and goes beyond us. It is the key to ending the war, if this hostage issue is resolved, the war will end,” said Cochav Levinson, whose son Shay was murdered during the 7 October and his body taken by Hamas.

As Sharon Kalderon, sister-in-law of another kidnapped Israeli citizen, explained, “the most important thing is to bring them home as soon as possible.” “The war will not end until everyone returns,” she stated, while denouncing that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is attracting international attention but “no one is talking about the humanitarian situation of the hostages after 8 months.”

Together with other relatives of hostages, they have reported that they have spent months without knowing anything about the whereabouts of their loved ones or if they are even still alive. “This uncertainty drives us crazy. This is another humanitarian case that needs help,” said Mazy Zafrani, whose nephew Bar Kupershtein was kidnapped by Hamas while working at the music festival attacked on the border with Gaza.

“They cannot wait. They have to be released, we have to put this message on the world agenda and increase pressure on Hamas to release the hostages,” Zafrani summarized. At all times, the relatives have avoided criticizing the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government and have stressed that “the majority” of governments around the world are doing their best to achieve the release of their relatives, although at the moment it is not being enough.