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War between Israel and Hamas: after the death of a hostage, Gérard Unger, vice-president of Crif, says he is “marked by sadness and pain”
War between Israel and Hamas: after the death of a hostage, Gérard Unger, vice-president of Crif, says he is “marked by sadness and pain” – (franceinfo)
The death of Franco-Israeli hostage Eliya Toledano, announced Friday December 15 by the Israeli army, caused strong emotion. Gérard Unger, vice-president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (Crif), explains how the organization helps the families of Hamas hostages.
After the announcement of the death of Eliya Toledano, a 28-year-old Franco-Israeli hostage, Gérard Unger, vice-president of Crif, describes “a state of mind marked by sadness and pain.” According to him, “the pain is all the greater as his brother was in Paris when he heard the news.” He had met the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and was also due to speak with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. “I have no personal contact with him and I imagine in what state of sadness he must be today”specifies Gérard Unger.
Support for the families of the hostages
Three French hostages are still in the hands of Hamas, and their fate is uncertain. “We have no specific information. We can only have it if hostages were released or if, unfortunately, other bad news alerts us”, explains Gérard Unger. Crif, which organized a trip to Tel Aviv with families of hostages and parliamentarians, is also alongside the relatives of the hostages in France. “When families of hostages come to Paris, we organize the political visits they need. We can only come there to provide support in the face of a tragic situation”, describes the vice-president of Crif. As for the hope of a new truce, Gérard Unger says “[ne pas savoir] what to hope for. (…) We can do nothing, it is up to the Israeli military and political authorities to act.”
