Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, has pledged $5 million for every prisoner released from Gaza and ensured the safety of those assisting in the release. During a trip to Gaza, Netanyahu made the announcement. Furthermore, he took a tour of the Israeli military’s Netzarim Corridor, a vital buffer zone for the Gaza-Israel conflict that divides Northern and Southern Gaza.
Netanyahu urged people in Gaza to work together to free Israeli hostages. “Whoever brings us a hostage, will find a safe way out for himself and his family,” he said, emphasizing his pledge to bring all hostages back, further explaining that the current military operation is the only way to accomplish this.
Israel states that there are still 101 prisoners in Gaza, with one-third believed to be dead. Families of hostages are still protesting in Israel, calling for a ceasefire agreement so they can have their loved ones back with them. People are criticizing Netanyahu’s administration for its ineffective negotiations with Hamas.
As Netanyahu comes under increasing criticism, reports of the Gaza-Israel conflict indicate that internal political forces hampered ceasefire accords. Ending the conflict, according to experts, may topple his far-right government and lead to inquiries into purported security lapses before Hamas’s October 7 attacks.
The political unrest is further made worse by Netanyahu’s alleged corruption. The UN has accused Israel of carrying out genocidal policies in Gaza and of using famine as a weapon of war. The ongoing humanitarian catastrophe, claiming approximately 44,000 Palestinian lives and injuring over 104,000 more, is getting worse as a result of the continuous violence.
World leaders, including the Group of 20 major economies, had a meeting in Rio de Janeiro to call out an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. Despite international pressure, Netanyahu has yet to budge over his decision to make Hamas pay.
