Netanyahu gave an order to bomb the hostages, says a freed Israeli hostage.
Ilana Gritzewsky, partner of hostage Matan Zangauker, stated that she has lived in constant fear since the occupying army expanded its operations in Gaza.
247 - “It’s difficult for me that the Prime Minister gave the order to bomb the hostages,” declared former hostage Gritzewsky, according to a report in Haaretz. “I know what the hostages are going through in Gaza, that with every plane that passes you have to take cover. I also had to hide so as not to be hit by shrapnel from buildings. The Prime Minister gave an order that could kill both hostages and soldiers.”
The former hostage also said that she receives no updates from Gal Hirsch, Israel's coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons, nor from the IDF unit responsible for prisoners of war. According to her, the families remain in the dark about any progress in negotiations.
Direct criticism of Netanyahu
She accused Netanyahu of prioritizing military objectives over the lives of prisoners. "The prime minister has made it clear that the war is more important to him than the return of the hostages, that he is afraid of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich," she stated, referring to ministers from the far-right coalition government.
Ilana also sent a message of hope to her partner Matan and the others in captivity: “If he is listening to this, don’t lose hope. His mother, his sisters, and the entire country are fighting for him. If any hostage hears this, know that the entire country is fighting for you.”
Popular mobilization in Jerusalem
During the interview, Ilana called on Israeli society to join the demonstrations organized in front of Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem. "If the prime minister sees us all out there, demanding freedom and joy, we might be able to reach a hostage agreement and end the war."
As internal and external criticism mounts, the Israeli government remains pressured by a double challenge: responding to public demands for a solution to the hostage crisis and dealing with the growing political fallout amid the genocide.
