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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/15/opinion/hostages-israel-war.html
The Hostages Are at the Heart of This War
(New York Times) Moshe Emilio Lavi - More than five weeks ago, on Oct. 7, my brother-in-law Omri Miran was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Hamas has yet to allow any international humanitarian group to visit the Israelis and foreign nationals being held captive. We have no idea whether the hostages are still alive and in good health. This illustrates the urgent need to prioritize the release of all the hostages as a condition for any humanitarian pause or cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Taking hostages - civilians, including babies, children, the disabled and the elderly - is a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions. The safe return of the hostages should be at the forefront of diplomatic discussions, the center of Israel's demands, and the focus point for the American response to the conflict. The writer is a former captain in the Israel Defense Forces.