US envoy Witkoff meets families of Israeli hostages in Tel Aviv amid calls for a comprehensive deal
US envoy Steve Witkoff met today, Saturday, August 2, with the families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip during a visit to the protest site in Tel Aviv, where the families welcomed him with chants demanding "the immediate return of the hostages," according to Israeli Channel 13.
During the meeting, the families reiterated their demands to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for "a comprehensive agreement to return all 50 detainees, including the living and the dead, in exchange for ending the war." They also called during a protest for Netanyahu to "rise above political considerations" and complete a deal that would lead to the release of the hostages.
This meeting came a day after Hamas released a video titled "They Eat What We Eat," showing Israeli captive Avitar David in a state of severe distress inside one of the tunnels. The number of Israeli hostages held by Hamas is estimated to be around 50, including both living and deceased.
An Israeli source stated in a statement to the Russian news agency TASS that "the number of living hostages does not exceed 20, and there is no confirmed information about the deaths of the others."
These developments come at a time when indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha are at a standstill, after Israel withdrew its delegation last week due to "stagnation in negotiations," as announced by the Israeli government on July 24. The talks had begun in Doha on July 6, aiming to reach a settlement in Gaza, but disagreements over the terms of the agreement, including Israeli withdrawal lines, hindered progress.
According to the last proposal discussed during the negotiations, Hamas was supposed to release 10 living hostages and 18 bodies during a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for Israel releasing 150 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to long terms, in addition to 1100 detainees arrested since the start of military operations in October 2023.
It is worth noting that Witkoff's visit is part of US efforts to push the negotiations forward at a time when Israel faces increasing international pressure due to the humanitarian repercussions in Gaza, where about 2.2 million Palestinians are suffering from deteriorating living conditions and widespread famine.
