Hostage Families Urge Caution as Israel Weighs Massive Prisoner Swap with Hamas

Families of Israeli hostages warn against surrendering to Hamas demands as Israel considers releasing 1,950 prisoners for all captives.

The Tikva Forum, representing families of Israelis held in Gaza, issued a heartfelt statement Thursday following reports of a proposed prisoner-swap deal with Hamas that would return all hostages in exchange for 250 convicted terrorists serving life sentences and 1,700 additional detainees.

“In these very moments, many families have not yet received information about the fate of their loved ones,” the Forum said. “We wish to remind everyone that the comprehensive deal includes everyone — absolutely everyone.”

While acknowledging the heavy price Israel may pay, the families emphasized that they had never pressured the government to capitulate to Hamas’ terms.

“The State of Israel must do everything in order to prevent future kidnappings,” the statement concluded.

The debate over the deal has revived painful memories of the 2011 “Shalit Deal”, which freed over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners — including Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7 massacre.
Several of those released later returned to terrorism, as did others freed in the 2023 and 2025 swap agreements.

Earlier Thursday, Leah and Simcha Goldin, parents of fallen IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, whose body remains in Gaza since Operation Protective Edge (2014), said the war cannot end until every hostage — living or deceased — is returned.

“This war was born 11 years ago when it was decided to leave hostages behind in Gaza,” the Goldins stated.
“Our Hadar symbolizes determination for true victory. Until he is brought home, we are still at war.”

The Goldin family urged the Israeli government to dispatch search teams to recover the remaining 28 deceased hostages before offering any concessions to Hamas.

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