Bereaved Families Urge Netanyahu to Halt Peace Council Plan Until Hamas Is Defeated

Bereaved families from the Courage Forum have called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop advancing the "Peace Council" plan concerning Gaza until Hamas is completely destroyed. In a letter sent on Tuesday, the families demanded that Israel reject any arrangement that would allow Hamas to continue ruling Gaza or transfer security responsibility to foreign forces. They emphasized that the Israeli government had repeatedly set clear war goals: to demilitarize Gaza, defeat Hamas politically and militarily, and maintain Israeli security control over the territory, with no role for the Palestinian Authority or foreign entities.

The families warned that the current proposals, as reported by the Peace Council and mediators, risk undermining these objectives by allowing Hamas to remain active and recognized internationally under a different Palestinian authority. They expressed strong opposition to any scenario that would jeopardize Israeli security or enable a new terrorist regime in Gaza, stating, "We will not allow our fallen loved ones to be the price for a new terror rule."

This appeal follows a recent letter from bereaved families living near Gaza, also part of the Courage Forum, who urged Netanyahu to ensure the safety of border communities and implement lessons from the October 7 attacks. The forum stressed the need for a clear military victory over Hamas and exclusive Israeli security control to guarantee the safety of Israeli citizens.

The bereaved families' letters reflect ongoing concerns about peace initiatives that might compromise Israel's security and the memory of those who died fighting Hamas.