Israeli Hostage’s Mother: ‘Any Demand of Ceasefire Without Release of Hostages Is a Death Sentence’

Orna Neutra, the mother of Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra, said on Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that bringing home the hostages should be included in any ceasefire demand.

Neutra said, “Bringing the hostages back should be the top priority. It should be the world’s top priority. Everyone looking for de-escalation in the region should be opening the sentence saying, you know, ‘Release the hostages.’ Any demand of ceasefire without release of hostages is a death sentence to them.”

She added, “As far as what’s going on in Israel, you know, there’s a broad range. Everyone feels that more needs to be done. Everyone is demanding more from the government. You know people and different families have different perspectives on how to achieve that. And that’s what we’re seeing.”

Omer’s father Ronen Neutra said, “We’re not sure the priorities are right. There’s no question the war must be won and Hamas must be eradicated but the hostages are running out of time. And six months in, yesterday, it was just announced that one additional hostage was announced dead and his body was brought back to Israel.”

He added, “We are constantly under that fear and the urgency. It’s not clear whether the Israeli administration has the priority right.”

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