According to a report by The Times Of Israel, Hagai Angrest, the father of hostage Matan Angrest, has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of refusing to engage with families of those held in Gaza, even as they campaign in New York for a deal to secure their release.
“He ignores us when we are outside his home in Jerusalem [and] he ignores us here,” Angrest told Army Radio from the United States. “He went to the [grave of] the Lubavitcher Rebbe, but all the places we are as well he has ignored us. That’s his choice. We are concerned with saving lives… not with ratings.”
The families have been pressing for greater government attention and action, seeking to ensure that negotiations aimed at freeing the hostages remain a priority. Angrest said their appeals to Netanyahu have been met with silence, both in Israel and abroad.
By contrast, he noted that officials from the Trump administration have sat down with them, offering reassurances and updates on diplomatic efforts. “They are trying to do everything so this happens,” he said about the peace initiative recently outlined by US President Donald Trump. “They are working, they are doing everything; we believe in them, we are with them.”
Angrest welcomed the willingness of American officials to engage directly with the families, describing it as an important gesture at a moment of profound uncertainty. The hostages’ relatives, he stressed, are less interested in political maneuvering and more focused on saving lives.
Still, he remained cautious about the prospects for progress, pointing to earlier unmet expectations. “They were promised an agreement the last time Netanyahu was in the US and got nothing,” he recalled. His words reflected both frustration with the Israeli leadership and a guarded hope that international involvement might succeed where domestic efforts have stalled.
The situation highlights the deepening divide between Netanyahu and hostage families, who see personal engagement as critical to keeping pressure on negotiations. While Trump’s plan has offered them a measure of hope, Angrest’s remarks underscore the skepticism rooted in past disappointments and the urgent need for concrete results. See, More, Here>>>>
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