The family of an Israeli citizen kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th has said that there would be no reason for fighting to continue if the hostages were returned.
Moshe Emilio’s brother-in-law, Omri Miran, was taken hostage by Hamas this day two years ago, in attacks which claimed the lives of over 1,139 people and saw 251 taken hostage.
48 individuals are still being held by Hamas, 20 of which are still believed to be alive.
Mr Emilio joined The Pat Kenny Show on the second anniversary of the October 7th attacks to discuss the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
He said he couldn’t see “any reason and any justification to return to the fighting” if the hostages are released in accordance to US President Donald Trump’s proposals.
The plan would see all remaining hostages released within 72 hours of a deal being agreed.
Omri Miran, who was kidnapped on October 7th, and his wife Lishay Lavi. Image: Supplied.“I want to emphasise that while I’m hopeful, I’m realistic, and the path to conclude the negotiations is still long,” Mr Emilio said.
“It may be swift, and I hope it will be, but we’ve learned from the past that these sorts of deals are not being concluded as fast as we wished it would be.”
Mr Emilio said that for Mr Miran’s youngest daughter, Alma, who was six-months old when he was kidnapped on October 7th, her father is “merely a poster, a picture”.
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“She doesn’t remember him, she doesn’t know what it feels to have a father present in the home,” he said.
“But for [his eldest daughter] Roni, it’s real.
“She remembers October 7th, she remembers the terrorists who held guns at her face, woke her up with guns, and held her captive for the entire day.
“She remembers her father being taken away, and she shares with Alma what she can remember of the good times she spent with her father on the bicycle, or with the family’s dog.”
Roni recently celebrated her fourth birthday, while the family dog, Mojo, was injured in the October 7th attacks, and later died from his wounds.
'Time is of the essence'
“As the war continues, everyone is at risk,” Mr Emilio said.
“Especially the most vulnerable ones, the hostages in Gaza.
“They’re at risk from various unfortunate developments on the ground; they could be executed, as hostages were executed in the past, they could be killed as a result of the fighting.
“And so, we urge policymakers to understand that time is of the essence, and they have to negotiate swiftly in order to ensure all the hostages are out.”
Main image: Omri Miran, who was kidnapped on October 7th, along with and his wife and daughter. Image: Supplied.
