(NewsNation) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “abandoning” the people of Israel and hostages by not securing a cease-fire deal, the relative of a man taken by Hamas said.
Hamas militants kidnapped five of Efrat Machikawa’s family members hostage on Oct. 7. Since then, four of the five have been released, except for her uncle Gadi Moses, 80.
Now, Machikawa said on “NewsNation Now” Tuesday, hearing about the deaths of six others taken hostage feels like a “betrayal” by the Israeli government.
“We know or a fact, and we heard it from other people, from the negotiations and ex-military people, that these people indeed were alive and they were about to come back,” Machikawa said. “They could have been back, and they’re not.”
Machikawa said there were multiple months where there was a cease-fire deal that included the release of hostages, but Netanyahu rejected them.
“Instead of being the Mr. Security he wants to be, or the Mr. Economy… He is actually being Mr. Abandonment,” Machikawa said. “Everybody around is actually saying that he is the one to sabotage all the deals that President Biden and the American government are leading.”
Israeli citizens have been protesting Netanyahu and his actions during negotiations. Machikawa says the people in the streets are “crying the cries our family members and the citizens of Israel and other nationals that were taken by Hamas cannot scream.”
“We are telling our government, this is it,” Machikawa said. “There is no more grace time for our prime minister. He has to do the right thing, to do the moral thing.”
Even with all she is facing, though, Machikawa says she will “always stay hopeful.”
“I hope Gadi will be back,” she said. “Gadi is a peaceful, beautiful, joyful grandpa to 12 children who are waiting to hug him.”