Earlier today (Sunday), President Donald Trump invited Eli Sharabi for a special meeting at the White House. Additionally, tonight the White House also called upon Omer Shem Tov, Yair Horen, Keith, and Aviva Siegel to meet with the President in Washington. The meeting takes place against the backdrop of heavy pressures being applied to Hamas to proceed with the return of the hostages.
Earlier today, Sharon Sharabi, Eli’s brother, mentioned that Trump had watched parts of Eli’s interview on the news program “Ovdah” and decided to invite him for a personal meeting. This evening, in an interview, he added that “Eli is driven by purpose. We all saw the shocking interview. We saw a person facing the hostages that need to be brought home. Three weeks after his return from captivity, he stands courageously in front of the cameras. The most important message is that there will be a revival.”
Cessation of Goods Entering Gaza
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced this morning that there will be a cessation of goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip “with the conclusion of Phase A of the hostage deal, and in light of Hamas’s refusal to accept the Witkoff framework for continuing talks, which Israel agreed to.”
Israel Agrees to the American Plan for Hostage Release and a Ceasefire
Tamir Hayman, head of the Institute for National Security Studies and former head of Military Intelligence in the IDF, proposed issuing Hamas a clear ultimatum: “Release all hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire or return to high-intensity fighting.” According to him, “Hamas is exploiting the relative calm to strengthen militarily, which could complicate things for Israel in the event of renewed fighting.”
In this context, the “Hope Forum,” consisting of hostage families who believe in applying strong military pressure on Hamas, called on the government to reject the Witkoff framework and return to the Trump framework, which stipulates the return of all hostages in one phase without separation. “We demand to abandon the Witkoff framework and revert to the Trump framework, all together or open hell on Hamas,” they emphasized.
No Free Lunches
Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated at the opening of the Cabinet meeting: “In light of Hamas’s refusal to accept the Witkoff framework, we decided to prevent any entry of goods and supplies to Gaza. If Hamas continues to entrench its position and does not release our hostages, there will be further consequences.”
The current move, coordinated fully with the American administration, sends a clear message to Hamas: Israel will not agree to the continuation of the ceasefire without receiving tangible returns in the form of hostage releases.
