Israel President 'shocked' hostages in Gaza no longer top priority

Israel's President expresses shock over hostages no longer being top priority, urges continued efforts for their release.

Israel's President said on Tuesday (March 25, 2025) that he was shocked that the issue of hostages being held by Palestinian militants in Gaza was no longer a top priority in the country, days after criticising the government's war policy.

"I am quite shocked how suddenly the issue of the hostages is no longer at the top of the priority list and at the top of the news," Isaac Herzog said in a video issued by his office, adding it was important to keep working towards "bringing the hostages home, down to the last one".

"We must never lose sight of this issue, as a nation, until every last hostage is brought home. This is a national effort," Herzog, who was speaking at a conference in Tel Aviv, continued.

Some 251 people, including women and children, were seized during Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel, which left 1,218 Israelis dead according to an AFP tally based on official data, and sparked a deadly war in Gaza.

Of those 58 are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

On March 18, Israel launched a series of deadly air strikes on the Palestinian territory renewing the fighting after a nearly two-month ceasefire that saw the handover of 33 Israeli hostages from Gaza, including eight who were dead.

Since the resumption of fighting, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza has reported that at least 792 people have been killed, raising the overall death toll to 50,144.