Netanyahu says ‘We will not remain silent’, as IDF recovers 6 bodies of hostages

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday has accused Hamas of failing a potential ceasefire agreement after recovering the bodies of six hostages in a Hamas tunnel in the Gaza Strip

Netanyahu condemned the terrorist group for refusing to negotiate and vowed to hold them accountable in a video statement posted on X.

He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and praised the Israeli Defense Forces and Shin Bet security service for their efforts in rescuing the hostages, The Times of Israel reported.

“Whoever murdered our abductees does not want a deal,” Netanyahu captioned the post, adding, “We will hunt and get them, and we will come to an account with them.”

“We will not rest, and we will not be silent,” Netanyahu asserted.

“We will pursue you, we will catch up with you, and we will settle accounts with you.”

He reiterated Israel’s commitment to freeing the remaining hostages held by Hamas and criticised the group for its continued refusal to engage in “real negotiations”.

Netanyahu noted that Israel had agreed to a hostage release deal on May 27, 2023, with the support of the US, but Hamas rejected the proposal.

An updated deal on August 16 was also turned down by the group.

IDF announced the recovery of the bodies of six hostages, includ ing two women, from a tunnel in Rafah, Gaza.

The victims were identified as Hersh Goldberg, Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alex Lubnov, and Ori Danino, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

The discovery of the bodies has sparked widespread protests across Israel, with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum calling for demonstrations against the government on Sunday.

According to the IDF the situation remains tense as Hamas continues to hold 101 hostages.

Netanyahu warned that Hamas’s actions on October 7 when militants stormed Israel and killed 1,200 people while taking 251 hostages highlight the ongoing threat the group poses.