What do Israelis think of the Gaza ceasefire deal?
(Clockwise) Elan Hyman, Ifat Kalderon, Naomi and Roni
The Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal aims to end the war and free hostages kidnapped during the 7 October attack – but in Israel, opinions on the agreement are divided.
The deal would see Israel free between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in return for the release of the hostages.
The 7 October attacks by Hamas saw 1,200 people killed in southern Israel and about 250 people taken hostage. Gaza officials say more than 46,000 Palestinians have since been killed.
While some Israeli hostages have been killed, rescued by IDF forces, or returned home in an exchange, many remain unaccounted for – it’s thought some 94 are yet to return home.
Sky News spoke to people in Tel Aviv and heard a range of contrasting views about the ceasefire deal.
Elan
“It’s a bad deal for the hostages, for the security of Israel, for the whole West… It’s showing all you need to do is kidnap a bunch of people,” says Elan Hyman.
“That fact that we’re only receiving 33 hostages over 47 days, it just shows we haven’t done enough, we have more work to do.”
He thinks Hamas has not been damaged enough and has recruited more members to replace the ones killed.
“We need to get Hamas into a position – to a point where it’s on its knees begging us to take the hostages back because it can’t take any more,” he adds.
“It’s not a deal that a defeated terrorist organisation proposes.”
Romi and Shahar
Shahar Barel and Romi Gutheit are both aged 15, and students. They believe the deal is the best chance for peace.
“It really pains me to say, but I think for all of Israel, the younger generation… we care the most about what’s happening. And, of course, we want all the hostages back,” Shahar says.
She adds: “In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what at what cost. And if it means we pull out from Gaza, then we pull out from Gaza.”
Romi had a similar view, telling Sky News: “We want all the hostages back home. We want the deal.”
Lena
“This deal is very dangerous for us… We don’t want to do deals with the devil again, we had enough of that,” Lena tells Sky News.
“We sent our soldiers to war to win this battle, to destroy Hamas – where nothing remains from them.”
She says the fighting should end “with glory and victory” but that it hasn’t been achieved yet, leaving Israel at risk of another attack.
Lena believes the deal is a “betrayal” of those who’ve fought in the war, adding: “We deserve to live in peace and freedom – with not being threatened by these terrorist animals.”
Ifat
Ifat Kalderon’s cousin Ofir was taken hostage by Hamas. “I don’t know his situation. I don’t know if he’s alive or if he’s dead,” she says.
She adds that she doesn’t have faith in her government or Hamas.
“No. I don’t have any faith in either side. But I just got hope.”
“We need to bring them all back home, all the hostages. We need to stop this war.”
Roni
“My feelings are very mixed: I’m happy for each one that can be saved… but I’m very sad for the other kidnaps [hostages] we’re leaving behind,” Roni says.
“I think we should end the war and release all the kidnapped, and not only a few of them.”
The psychologist says she’s “very afraid” the government isn’t really ready to end the war and that any hostages not freed initially will end up dead.
She adds: “We can get all of them, we just need to stop the war, and by stopping the war also our soldiers will not have to be killed.”
