Families of Slain Hostages Accuse Netanyahu of Exploiting Deaths for Campaign

By Вести-Ynet

Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba

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Families of Israeli hostages killed in Gaza have written an open letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party, demanding they stop using the slogan "We returned everyone" in their election campaign. The families argue that the phrase is a painful reminder that their loved ones were not returned alive, but rather their bodies were brought back in coffins. They accuse the government of failing to protect the hostages and exploiting their deaths for political gain. The letter coincides with billboards featuring slain hostages and video appeals from bereaved relatives.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Families of slain Israeli hostages demand PM Netanyahu stop using "We returned everyone" in election campaign.
Relatives state their loved ones were not returned alive, but their bodies were brought back in coffins.
An open letter accuses Netanyahu's government of the "biggest failure" and exploiting deaths for political gain.
Billboards featuring six slain hostages with the message "We did not return home" have been erected.
Bereaved relatives released video appeals expressing pain and anger over the government's rhetoric.
The families call for Netanyahu to take responsibility and establish a state investigation commission.

Families of Slain Hostages Accuse Netanyahu of Exploiting Deaths for Campaign — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Families of hostages killed or who died in captivity in Gaza have penned an open letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party, demanding they cease using the phrase "We returned everyone" in their election campaign. The relatives stated, "You returned everyone? You did not return our loved ones home. Their bodies were brought back in coffins." The letter, obtained by Ynet, coincides with an outdoor advertising campaign featuring billboards on Highway Ayalon displaying photos of six hostages killed in Hamas tunnels, with the banner reading "We did not return home."

The families described the October 7th attack as the "biggest failure in the history of the State of Israel," occurring under Netanyahu's "100 percent right-wing" government. They asserted that the failure and its consequences were entirely the government's responsibility. Of the 251 people abducted to Gaza on October 7th, 46 did not return alive, with the families claiming political leadership made decisions that left them in captivity, costing them their lives. They emphasized that these 46 individuals were sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters who were "abandoned to the mercy of murderers" and died far from home.

The families implored Netanyahu to stop using their deceased relatives in election propaganda and to not exploit their deaths to solicit another term. They accused Netanyahu and Likud of attempting to turn their loved ones' deaths into political success, stating, "They could have been here today. Hugging us, laughing with us, living their lives. They are not here, and no election campaign will erase this fact." They urged the Prime Minister to request forgiveness, take responsibility, establish a state investigation commission, and step down from public life, as security officials have done.

Michal Lobanov, widow of Alex Lobanov, and Nira Sarusi, mother of Almog Sarusi, both abducted from the Nova festival and killed in tunnels, released video appeals. Lobanov highlighted that Alex "could have returned alive, but did not," and that the billboards serve as a reminder of what was missed. Sarusi expressed outrage at the phrase "We returned all the hostages to the last one," questioning the pride in returning them dead and stating that the phrase should be a source of shame for failing to return them alive after surviving for 11 months.