As international humanitarian aid pledges for Gaza continue to pour in, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, is making a demand. She seeks “proof of life” for over 200 hostages taken by Hamas militants from Israel, emphasizing that the hostages must be a top priority for any government considering humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian region.
“We haven’t had anything,” Hassan-Nahoum told Fox News Digital. “We haven’t had the Red Cross being able to see them. We haven’t had the U.N. even talking about the hostages. What happens to our hostages as 3- and 5-month-old babies, and their mothers, mothers with three children, young women serially raped, paraded down the street, an old lady with dementia in a wheelchair, people ridiculing her down the street and abusing her. Who are these people and why?”
Hassan-Nahoum’s demand comes in response to President Biden’s announcement of $100 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank. However, the deputy mayor is resolute that any humanitarian aid must come with guarantees that it will be utilized as intended.
For the last 15 years 25% of rockets shot from within Gaza fall on Gaza’s own civilians. When the press publishes Hamas’s claims at face value, they endanger the safety of Jews everywhere #HamasISIS pic.twitter.com/oXAcYspSgG
— פלר חסן נחום Fleur Hassan-Nahoum (@FleurHassanN) October 19, 2023
President Biden’s announcement was met with concern from some quarters. Hassan-Nahoum emphasized her concerns over the current Palestinian leadership, accusing them of being corrupt and indirectly supporting terrorism by providing life pensions for terrorists involved in attacks on Israelis. The Israeli government had previously reacted to such concerns with the Taylor Force Act, which restricted U.S. funding to the Palestinian Authority until it abandoned the “pay for slay” policy.
“It’s just very difficult to get decent accountability from the Palestinian leadership,” Hassan-Nahoum stated. She also stressed the importance of ensuring that the assistance doesn’t contribute to the Palestinian educational system, which she claims promotes hatred and incentivizes attacks on Israelis.
Israel is at war Hamas because Hamas committed war crimes on our innocents and hold over 200 hostages, amongst them little babies. https://t.co/PHqiutm0fk
— פלר חסן נחום Fleur Hassan-Nahoum (@FleurHassanN) October 19, 2023
While the Gaza conflict continues to garner international attention, Hassan-Nahoum’s demand reflects the deep-rooted complexities surrounding the allocation of humanitarian aid in a region plagued by conflict and political disputes. Negotiations between U.S. Special Envoy David Satterfield and Israeli and Egyptian officials are ongoing as they work to develop mechanisms for humanitarian assistance delivery, striving to address Israeli concerns about potential diversion of aid to Hamas.
Hassan-Nahoum strongly emphasized the urgency of this situation. “Until the hostages are returned home, we’re not going to have any peace,” she concluded.
