Netanyahu says Assad regime's fall could help free hostages kept in Gaza

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed families of hostages held in Gaza that regime change in Syria could facilitate progress toward a hostage release deal. 

On December 8 evening, Netanyahu met separately in Jerusalem with representatives of two groups: the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the majority of families, and the Tikva Forum, a hawkish minority faction supportive of the government’s approach, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

According to Netanyahu’s office, he indicated that the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime “could help advance a deal to bring back the hostages.”

Negotiations to secure the release of hostages have repeatedly stalled despite past progress. In late November 2023, 105 hostages were freed during a weeklong truce. Israel estimates that 96 of the 251 hostages kidnapped on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 individuals confirmed dead by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Over the last 14 months, IDF troops have managed to rescue eight hostages and recover the bodies of 38 others.

Family members reported receiving differing perspectives from Netanyahu during the meetings about the possibility of a release deal. On December 8 evening, relatives and supporters briefly blocked Begin Road in Tel Aviv, near the Defense Ministry, demanding immediate action for a deal. This followed larger protests in the city the previous day.

Hamas remains steadfast in its demands for a permanent cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza as preconditions for releasing the remaining hostages. Israel, however, insists on temporary ceasefires while maintaining a military presence in the region.

Earlier on December 8, sources within Palestinian armed groups reported that Hamas had instructed them to compile detailed information on hostages, potentially signalling preparations for a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal.

Notably, the conflict between Hamas and Israel that began on October 7, 2023, was one of the deadliest in the region's history, initiated by a large-scale, coordinated attack by Hamas on Israel. The attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the capture of numerous hostages, marking it as the deadliest single-day attack in Israel since its founding. This prompted a massive Israeli military response, including airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza, leading to significant casualties and widespread destruction.

Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in response devastated Gaza. By November 2024, over 41,000 Palestinians had been killed, with nearly 96,000 injured and 1.9 million displaced. Infrastructure, including hospitals and housing, was severely damaged, and a significant portion of Gaza's population faced dire humanitarian conditions​.

By Khagan Isayev