Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that military victory over Hamas is the “supreme goal” of Israel’s war in Gaza has provoked a wave of anger from families of hostages still held in the Strip.
Speaking at Israel’s Independence Day Bible Contest, Netanyahu acknowledged the importance of bringing back the remaining 59 captives — including up to 24 believed to be alive — but emphasized that defeating Hamas takes precedence. “It’s a very important goal,” he said of the hostages’ return, “but the supreme goal is victory over our enemies.”
His remarks drew sharp criticism from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which accused him of aligning with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who previously stated that “the hostages are not the most important thing” in the war effort. The Forum countered that the “supreme goal” should be the safe return of all captives, declaring, “There is no full independence for the state or for the people of Israel without the return of our brothers and sisters.”
President Isaac Herzog echoed these sentiments, saying Israel “cannot celebrate independence with a whole heart” while the hostages remain in Gaza.
The backlash follows ongoing frustration with Netanyahu’s handling of truce negotiations. A proposed deal that could have freed the remaining hostages was rejected by Israel this week, reportedly due to pressure from far-right ministers like Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, who have threatened to collapse the government if the war ends prematurely.
The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken. Israel’s war in Gaza has continued since, with families of the remaining hostages pleading for their loved ones’ return before further military escalation.
