The Israeli government said Saturday that it would not negotiate with the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas over the release of between 100 and 200 Israeli and international hostages, because it was destroying the organization and not trying to save it.
Tzachi Hanegbi, the head of Israel’s National Security Council, said that the days of negotiating for hostages were over. While Israel was trying to rescue the hostages, it would not hostage prisoner exchanges or stop its military operation in Gaza.
The Times of Israel reported:
National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi said on Saturday that there are no active negotiation efforts underway by Israel to repatriate the Israelis and some other foreign nationals kidnapped by Hamas last Saturday, saying “there is no way right now to have a negotiation” with the terror organization.
“Israel will not hold negotiations with an enemy that we have vowed to wipe from the face of the earth,” he said, briefing reporters at the Israel Defense Force’s Tel Aviv headquarters.
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There are thought to be 150-200 hostages being held by Gaza terror groups. Hanegbi’s remarks angered the families of Israeli hostages, who are already staging protests to demand that the government do everything possible, including negotiating, to secure the release of their loved ones.
