Families of Israeli Hostages Urge UN Secretary-General to Work for Their Release

Representatives of the families of Israeli hostages in Gaza met with Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, on Thursday night in New York, urging him to take further actions to ensure their return. Israeli media described the meeting as tense, reporting that the families criticized Guterres for comments they claimed justified Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7 and for not having visited the country yet. During these attacks, Hamas militants took approximately 240 hostages, including children, women, and the elderly. More than 100 hostages, aside from 135 who are likely deceased, were released during a one-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. According to the 'Times of Israel', Guterres stated that he had made proposals but had not received a response from the Israeli government. He expressed full solidarity with the families of the hostages, calling their abduction a 'horrific crime', but stated that he did not have the power to bring their loved ones back. Nevertheless, the UN Secretary-General said he would make every effort through his channels to secure the release of the hostages. The UN General Assembly issued a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The United States stated that it does not support the ceasefire resolution, claiming it only sows the seeds for the next war. Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza, and the UN expressed 'regret'. The Secretary-General also expressed dissatisfaction, stating that humanitarian aid to Gaza is insufficient even with the ceasefire in place.