Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday night that he is listening to the concerns of the Hamas hostages' families and doing everything in his power to secure the captives' release.
"I hear the anguish of the hostages' families, who have lost what is dearest to them," the premier said, according to the Prime Minister's Office.
"My wife and I go to heart-rending meetings, that are simply heart-breaking. I hear. I listen. I also do not judge. I'm doing everything to return the hostages and to win the war," Netanyahu continued.
The statement came after Kan News earlier on Monday published a recording of excerpts from a difficult conversation between Netanyahu and Rabbi Elhanan Danino, the father of hostage Ori Danino, who was one of six hostages murdered by the terrorist group and whose bodies were found by IDF troops in a tunnel in Rafah on Aug. 31.
During the tense talk, a shiva call with family members in Jerusalem, Danino implored Netanyahu to stop "messing around with nonsense and making quarrels" and to not "get involved in petty, cheap politics and spin," adding, "without unity, we do not deserve this country."
"Stop messing with collecting mandates and messing with polls…. Stop. I really don't know if there was a deal or not, but forgive me, sir, it all happened during your shift," said Danino.
"My son was murdered in a tunnel you built, on your watch. Forgive me, forgive me, you've been in power for many years, a lot, the concrete and the dollars came in on your watch … you owe everyone's lives …. God forbid, I don't decide; I'm not part of the discussion out there. We kept quiet for 11 months because we believe in God, I believe that nothing will change. Close yourself off and think about the Jewish value you bring…."
Republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate