Israeli captive families outraged as minister prioritises Gaza war victory over rescuing ‘POWs’

Israel’s Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu has sparked outrage by urging the government to classify Gaza captives as “prisoners of war” to prioritise defeating Hamas over rescues.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid demanded Eliyahu’s dismissal, citing his history of genocidal rhetoric, including calls to nuke Gaza.
Israeli political analyst Akiva Eldar told Al Jazeera that Eliyahu’s remarks reflect Netanyahu’s covert policies of ethnic cleansing, serving as distractions from Gaza’s destruction.
While Netanyahu publicly distances himself from far-right ministers, Eldar noted they’re essential to his coalition’s survival.
The captives’ families have intensified protests, but liberal Israelis remain largely indifferent to Palestinian suffering.
Eldar warned that annexation plans in Gaza and West Bank displacement are escalating, with Smotrich openly advocating total Gaza annexation.
International calls for Palestinian statehood clash with Israel’s ground realities, as starvation and settler violence persist.
Eldar suggested Netanyahu may face electoral backlash for prioritising expulsion over hostages, though policy shifts remain unlikely. The captives’ plight could galvanise broader dissent as Israel’s moral crisis deepens.

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Post from Al Jazeera on July 30, 2025

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