Will renewed war in Gaza save the hostages - or kill them?

The renewal of the fighting in the Gaza Strip today (Tuesday) has hostage families and advocates divided on whether the effort will lead to the release of the remaining hostages or to their deaths at the hand of Hamas.

The Hostages Families Forum released this statement:

Families of hostages have been pleading for some time to meet with the public officials responsible for the fate of their loved ones. Their pleas have gone unanswered.

Now it has become clear—public officials have not met with them because they were planning the collapse of the ceasefire, which might sacrifice their family members.

The hostage families are demanding a meeting this morning with the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister, and the head of the negotiation team, in which it will be clarified to them how it will be ensured that the hostages are not harmed by military pressure and how they intend to bring them back.

The hostage families will demand: Stop the killing and disappearance of the hostages now! First bring them back—then deal with everything else.

Meanwhile, the Tikvah Forum for families of hostages released a statement expressing support for the government's efforts:

The families of the hostages from the Tikva Forum strengthen the Israeli government, the heads of the security establishment, and the soldiers of the IDF with the resumption of powerful combat against the Nazi enemy in Gaza.

The past few weeks have proven what we have been saying all along—Hamas will never willingly return all the hostages. Only massive military pressure, a complete siege including the cutoff of electricity and water, and the conquest of territories that will lead to the collapse of Hamas will force it to beg for a ceasefire and a deal that will bring all the hostages back together, in one phase.

If the offensive that began this morning continues with intensity and without interruption, we will be able to bring all our loved ones home in one phase, on one bus.