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Israel must 'square the circle to get hostages out' says President, labelling 500 day wait 'tormenting, aching and painful’

17 February 2025, 10:55 | Updated: 17 February 2025, 14:13

Israel must 'square the circle to get hostages out' as Israeli President labels 500 day wait 'tormenting, aching and painful’.
Israel must 'square the circle to get hostages out' as Israeli President labels 500 day wait 'tormenting, aching and painful’. Picture: Alamy

By Danielle de Wolfe

Israel's President has told LBC his country must "square the circle to get hostages out" - as he labelled the wait for hostage release in exchange for Hamas fighters "tormenting, aching and painful".

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Speaking exclusively with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Isaac Herzog insisted "we have to make sure we square the circle to get the hostages out," adding the nation must ensure "there is real change between us and Gaza".

His words on Monday come as Israel marked 500 days since the October 7 attacks - as 73 hostages continue to be held captive in Gaza.

Pushed by Nick on details of the prisoner swap in regards to the ratio of Israelis to Hamas fighters, the leader welcomed the hostages release but labelled the numbers "absolutely intolerable".

"Israel is releasing arch terrorists to get back our sons and daughters..." he added.

"We’re releasing the worst terrorist imaginable," he continued, adding it was Israel's duty to "make sure jihadi terror doesn’t reign".

Watch Again: Nick Ferrari is joined by President of Israel Isaac Herzog | 17/02/25

"When you're releasing terrorists, you can assume that...many of them will want to go back to terror. This is our experience for previous deals. So we are torn," he admitted.

Speaking on his feelings in relation to the televised release of Hamas members, he admitted: "We know that there are terrorists still in Gaza. We are not deluding ourselves."

"We felt extremely unpleasant and angry. And it's also a humiliating process."

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"But at the end, we took a decision which is clear to us. We opt for those who we know are alive and want to rescue and bring them back from the dungeons and horrors of Gaza.

"And we will have to make sure that these terrorists will have to prevent them from going back or arrest them once we know that they went back to terror."

It comes as Hertzog admitted that Donald Trump is "definitely shaking up our region", with the US President offering "real hope" of peace in the Middle East.

Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty). Picture: Alamy

Hours earlier, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Donald Trump's "bold vision" last night as he backed calls for the US to take over Gaza.

After a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said he would cooperate with the US on a "common strategy" to make Trump's ideas "a reality".

This comes as the American President suggested the war-torn territory could be redeveloped into the "Riviera of the Middle East".

Rubio said the plan may have "shocked and surprised" people, but praised Trump's courage for unique ideas.