High Court demands gov’t response to petition by Hostages Forum to explain war calculations
The Forum submitted an amended petition to the High Court, arguing that the government must explain the reasoning behind the decision of whether to continue the war or not.
High Court of Justice Judge Khaled Kabub ordered on Sunday that the government issue a response to a petition by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, demanding that it provide comprehensive explanations for its reasons to continue the military operations in the Gaza Strip against Hamas.
Hamas, which led the October 7 attack, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and launching the Israel-Hamas War, kidnapped 251 people that day. Today, it is still holding 50 hostages captive and is using them as a playing card to demand an end to the war.
To date, most of the hostages were freed in ceasefire deals, while few were returned by military operations. As the war is due to intensify in the enclave, the military warned that further action could endanger the remaining live hostages, and families are desperate to bring their loved ones home.
The Forum submitted an amended petition to the High Court, arguing that the government must explain the reasoning behind the decision of whether to continue the war or not.
Why the government must reveal the reasons to continue the war
Kabub clarified that the petition does not question the court’s authority to order the government to agree to a ceasefire deal or not, but rather to reveal the full range of reasons to the public so the people can judge for themselves.
Part of a three kilometre-long tunnel route destroyed by the IDF in the central Gaza Strip, August 9, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)
“I stand here in representation of the petitioners, but also in representation of the hostages who are suffering in Hamas’s tunnels, and – I believe – in representation of all Israeli citizens,” said attorney Moran Savorai, from the Forum.
“After reading the government’s response, we are even more worried than before. The response reveals that the government was uninvolved and that the relevant authority to deal with the question was the wrong one.”
Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.
