Israel strikes Gaza as pressure grows to free more hostages

CAIRO/GAZA/JERUSALEM: Israel carried out fresh strikes on Gaza on Sunday (Dec 17) as its leaders came under growing pressure to secure the release of hostages still held in the Hamas-run territory more than two months after the Oct 7 attacks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced protests on Saturday by relatives of hostages who called for an urgent deal to secure their freedom after the army admitted mistakenly killing three captives in Gaza.

The trio were among an estimated 250 people taken hostage during Hamas’ Oct 7 raids into Israel, which also killed about 1,140 people, according to the Israeli authorities’ latest figures.

According to Hamas, Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed 18,800 people, mostly women and children.

At a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday, relatives of hostages gathered to plea with the government for a deal. 

The accidental killing of three hostages by Israeli forces has put increased pressure on Netanyahu to find a way to secure the release of those still held in captivity. 

As Netanyahu spoke, several hundred people staged a protest in Tel Aviv, with some holding placards, including one saying “get them out of hell”. A speaker shouted: “Bring them home now!”

“Take us into consideration and come up with a plan now (for negotiation),” said Noam Perry, daughter of hostage Haim Perry, at the protest. 

More than 100 of the Israelis and foreigners seized by Hamas and other militants on Oct 7 were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners during a week-long truce last month, mediated by Qatar.

Netanyahu doubled down on his war effort on Saturday, telling reporters of the three hostages’ deaths: “It broke my heart. It broke the whole nation’s heart.”

“With all the deep sorrow, I want to clarify: the military pressure is necessary both for the return of the kidnapped and for achieving victory over our enemies,” he added.

On Sunday, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, at least 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes on the central city of Deir al-Balah.

Witnesses also reported Israeli air and artillery strikes on the southern municipality of Bani Suhaila east of Khan Yunis, the Gaza Strip’s second city.

Also on Saturday, Netanyahu appeared to address Qatari efforts towards a new truce.

“We have serious criticisms of Qatar, about which I suppose you will hear in due course, but right now we are trying to complete the recovery of our hostages,” he said. 

“The instruction I am giving the negotiating team is predicated on this pressure, without which we have nothing.”

In a statement, Qatar reaffirmed on Saturday its “ongoing diplomatic efforts to renew the humanitarian pause”.

But Hamas said on Telegram it was “against any negotiations for the exchange of prisoners until the aggression against our people ceases completely”.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said late on Saturday he was travelling to Israel, Bahrain and Qatar to highlight Washington’s “commitments to strengthening regional security and stability”.

News platform Axios said Israeli spy chief David Barnea met on Friday in an unspecified European location with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who helped negotiate the earlier truce.