After the death of Ismail Haniyeh and in the face of the risks of escalation, the concern of the families of Israeli hostages

The assassination in Tehran of the political leader of Hamas has raised fears of contagion of the war that has been raging for almost ten months in the Gaza Strip.

“A remarkable Palestinian resistance fighter“: This is how the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, greeted Ismail Haniyeh, killed in Tehran in a strike attributed to Israel on Wednesday July 31. His funeral began early Thursday in Iran, before his burial on Friday in Qatar where he lived in exile.

The assassination at the age of 61 of the political leader of Hamas, as well as an Israeli strike that killed the military leader of Lebanese Hezbollah, Fouad Chokr, near Beirut on Tuesday, have raised fears of a contagion of the war that has been raging for almost ten months in the Gaza Strip between Israel, Iran’s sworn enemy, and Hamas, supported by Tehran. And particularly among the families of Israeli hostages.

Since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, these families have been plunged into uncertainty and now fear the worst for their loved ones, who have been captive in Gaza for 300 days. Quickly, after the news of Ismail Haniyeh’s death was announced, the relatives of the 115 hostages still held in Gaza fear the consequences of the events of the last two days, such as Ayelet Levy-Shahar.

His daughter Naama, 19, was captured by Hamas men on October 7.I think the message is to remember what our real goals are. The goal is not this or that targeted attack.” she pleads.

“The lives of my daughter and the other hostages are in danger. All the time. And for 300 days. So, we must remember this: everything must serve, support and advance the chances of an agreement.”

Ayelet Levy-Shahar

to franceinfo

Except that, in reality, an agreement seems further away than ever. Families of hostages claim that Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are doing everything to torpedo the chances of a truce, a lasting ceasefire and, above all, the establishment of a mechanism that would allow the release of a certain number of hostages. In the entourage of the Israeli Prime Minister, it is claimed that, on the contrary, these muscular operations on the part of Israel increase the military pressure on Hamas and therefore bring the conclusion of an agreement closer. An approach rejected by the majority of hostage families.