Netanyahu appeals to China, Russia to help free Hamas hostages

26-12-2023 Tue 10:42 | International | IANS

Tel Aviv, Dec 26: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appealed to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to speak with Hamas to release the citizens of their respective countries held captive by the outfit since October 7.

Netanyahu in a statement said that he has appealed to the Chinese President specifically for the release of Noa Argamani whose mother Liora is from China and was a cancer patient.

The Israeli Prime Minister said that he had appealed to President Xi through the Chinese Ambassador in Israel, Cai Run to speak on behalf of Liora to meet her daughter before she (Liora) dies.

Netanyahu, according to the statement, has informed Cai that the mother wants to see her daughter one last time and to request Xi to intervene.

The Israeli Prime Minister also said that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and requested him to intervene on behalf of the Russian citizens who are being held captive by Hamas and other terror outfits in Gaza Strip.

It is to be noted that Putin has a good rapport with the Iran government which is alleged to be backing the Hamas and Hezbollah terror outfits.

Netanyahu also said that earlier he had requested Putin and there were positive results on the same.

Israel is engaged in a fierce battle with Hamas in Gaza Strip where more than 20,000 Palestinians, including around 8,000 Hamas fighters have died so far. Israel retaliated after Hamas men swarmed into south Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, injuring more than 3,000 and kidnapping 240 people. However, during a one week truce in war from November 24 to December 1, 105 hostages were released. Four of the hostages were released earlier and one woman soldier of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) was rescued by the troops from Gaza. Of the remaining, Israel has confirmed that 22 are dead and that it has vowed to release those still held as captives.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has been increasing pressure on the Government of Israel to try and work out a hostage deal for the release of all those in captivity.