Hanukkah for the hostages: Yavneh lights a menorah with hostage ribbon

In honor of the hostages still kept captive in the Gaza Strip, the city of Yavneh erected a menorah on public property tonight (Wednesday) which contains the popular yellow ribbon calling for their release in the middle, in the position of the shamash.

Defense Minister Katz declared that there is no mission more important than the freeing of the hostages, while also ensuring that Hamas does not rule the Gaza Strip or present a threat to the State of Israel.

President Herzog has also repeatedly stressed the importance of reaching a hostage deal, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has often emphasized the importance of avoiding loose talk about negotiations so as not to sabotage them.

Despite this, a deal seems further and further away, in no small part due to the actions of Mohammad Sinwar, senior Hamas leader and brother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who has thus far refused to even provide a list of living hostages for further negotiation, stalling the deal.