Israel must redefine the Gaza hostages as “prisoners of war,” Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said on Wednesday in an interview with ultra-Orthodox radio station Kol Hai.
“Prisoners of war are dealt with only after victory. First, Hamas must be defeated,” he said.
“I think the mission is not ‘hostages first,’ and this hesitation is what’s keeping them stuck there. Many place the hostages above achieving victory; that’s a mistake. I call to release the prisoners of war after victory, not before.”
Eliyahu later clarified that his remarks were not coming from a place of “disregard or detachment” but that he believed this would be the only way to rescue the remaining hostages.
Eliyahu: All of Gaza will be Jewish
Eliyahu recently came under fire for suggesting Israel is planning to resume Jewish settlement in Gaza on Kol Barama radio.
“The government is rushing to erase Gaza, and thank God we are erasing this evil. All of Gaza will be Jewish,” Eliyahu said in the interview.
He added, "We don't need to be concerned about hunger in the Strip. We have completely lost our minds."