In a surprising turn of events, the government meeting held separately from the war and security cabinets began with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that the ongoing war will not be stopped even after a ceasefire agreement is reached. This statement was followed by Minister Benny Gantz, who acknowledged that while the agreement may be difficult and painful for humans, he believes it to be necessary.
Netanyahu emphasized that the hostages must be returned before any peace agreement can be reached. He added that the return of hostages is a sacred priority, and their release will only mark the beginning of a new phase in this conflict. The government is currently negotiating with Hamas to release these hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. However, there are concerns within Israel’s far-right wing about this proposed deal.
To prepare for this eventuality, the Ministry of Health has made arrangements to receive these hostages upon their release. Six hospitals have been designated as part of this agreement, including Sheba Medical Center, Shamir Medical Center, Wolfson Medical Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Ichilov Medical Center and Schneider Children’s Medical Center. These hospitals have special areas set up to receive them, separate from other patients and the media.