09/06/2024 – Sydney

NIF is overjoyed at the news that 245 days after their capture, four hostages have been returned home. We, like so many in the Jewish community, have been desperately awaiting the return of the hostages and the bringing home of Noa Argamani, (26), Almog Meir Jan, (22), Andrey Kozlov, (27) and Shlomi Ziv, (41) is a small step in the right direction. 

NIF is determined to see the return of all of the hostages and, for this reason, we reiterate our calls from last week for all parties to accept the current proposal for a permanent ceasefire and the return of the hostages. There can be no lasting joy in this period of war. We desperately wish for all in Israel-Palestine to be safe and secure and the only way to ensure that, is a ceasefire deal that brings the hostages home. 

The operation that returned the hostages home led to too many tragic deaths, and we know that the longer this war goes on, the more lives will be lost unnecessarily. The only period of time since October 7 where there was a dramatic halt in the number of civilian casualties and there were more than 100 hostages returned was during the month of November when the first ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was struck. 

We must work to achieve another ceasefire deal, so that all remaining hostages are returned home and no further lives are lost unnecessarily. 

Media contact:

Michael Chaitow (NIF), 0432 629 342