Some 200 bereaved families from the Gvura (“Heroism”) Forum sent a letter on Sunday to U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of his meeting Monday in Florida with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him not to pressure Israel to advance the Gaza ceasefire plan before Hamas is destroyed.
The families, whose relatives were killed in combat, demanded that no diplomatic progress or transition to Phase 2 of Trump’s ceasefire plan take place until Hamas is eliminated and the body of Israel Border Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last Israeli held in Gaza, is returned.
They called for an immediate halt to aid flowing into Gaza, arguing that it enables Hamas to regroup.
The letter emphasized that only the Israel Defense Forces should maintain security control throughout Gaza, rejecting involvement of any international force.
Israel must retain complete freedom of action and respond forcefully to any Hamas violations of the ceasefire, the families wrote.
In the letter, the families said they expect Trump to give full backing to their demands, stressing that this is “the cry of families who have paid the highest price” for Israel’s security.
