Israeli families pen letter to Erdoğan for intervention in hostage crisis

ISTANBUL

A group of Israeli families who have had their relatives held hostage by Hamas have penned a letter to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, seeking humanitarian intervention in the ongoing crisis.

The letter dated Nov. 3 bears the signatures of Meirav Leshem Gonen and Malki Shem-Tov, representing the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

The families expressed their anguish, stating, "Since their abduction, we have been unable to secure any contact whatsoever with our children, wives, husbands and elderly parents and we have received absolutely no news regarding them."

Appealing to Erdoğan's "influence in the Middle East and the Muslim world," the families urged him to use his power to bring about a resolution. "We believe that you are in a unique position to be of immeasurable assistance," they wrote.

The families detailed their profound uncertainty, stating, "We have no information at all on the whereabouts and situation of our children, siblings and parents. We are totally unaware of their medical condition and indeed we do not even know whether they are still alive."

They implored Erdoğan to "do everything in his power to obtain a sign of life from the hostages, ensure the prompt supply of all their medical needs and work towards their immediate release."

Earlier, family members of those missing and held captive in Gaza walked alongside hundreds of Israelis on the third day of a march from Tel Aviv to the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem, which they plan to reach on Nov. 18.

Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers recently recovered the bodies of two hostages kidnapped during the Hamas-led attack on Israel last month near the Al Shifa hospital complex in Gaza City.