Netanyahu appoints hostages director as emergency gov't talks continue

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Brig.-Gen. Gal Hirsch as coordinator of hostages and missing persons on Sunday to work with the families of people who were abducted into Gaza on Saturday.

The appointment was made after opposition leader Yair Lapid urged the prime minister to create the position in light of the war that was started on Saturday with Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel.

“Since the current government was formed, Israel has not had a hostages and missing persons coordinator,” he said. “I called on the prime minister to appoint a coordinator today, so that there will be someone who can work with the families.”

Over 100 Israelis, both soldier and civilian have been abducted by Hamas, and many more are still unaccounted for.

The Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry set up a team of social workers on Sunday to support the families of the hostages as well as those of people who were killed or wounded.

It also set up an information hotline for families at 105.

“The welfare services have been mobilized since yesterday to help the population at this difficult hour,” said Welfare and Social Affairs Minister Ya’acov Margi.

“Dozens of social workers both from the ministry and the local authorities came together immediately for the important work of supporting the families. The Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry will dedicate all the means and resources required to help the population.”

Educational institutions closed

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry decided on Sunday that all educational institutions would be closed on Monday and Tuesday, due to the complex security issues brought on by the war.

“Due to the situation, the ministry’s management has instructed the teaching staff to contact the families of their students to support and strengthen them,” said the ministry.

They added that the plan was to gradually bring the students back starting on Wednesday if the situation allows it.

Throughout the day, Lapid and National Unity leader Benny Gantz continued to discuss the possibility of joining an emergency government with their parties. Gantz reiterated in a statement on Sunday evening that he would be fully willing to join one in order to help.

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman weighed in, saying that he too would be willing to join without any conditions as long as Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and IDF Chief of Staff Herzl “Herzi” Halevi officially announced that they were working to destroy Hamas and kill all terrorism leaders.

President Herzog and his wife, Michal, on Sunday visited the Shamir Medical Center, better known as Asaf Harofe, where they met with civilians and soldiers – including officers – who were wounded in the first day of fighting in the Iron Swords War.

At the time of their visit there were 120 patients being treated for war injuries.

Hospital staff told the Herzogs about the chaos generated by mass arrivals, but assured them that everything was under control.

Over the past two days, Herzog has spoken to a series of world leaders, who without exception expressed their support for Israel at this time, endorsed Israel’s right to self-defense, and condemned the brutal attack on Israel by Hamas.

In an address to the nation on Sunday night, Herzog, while acknowledging that this is a difficult and painful period of uncertainty, said that Israel’s enemies have underestimated the Israeli spirit. They think that their psychological strategy of cyberattacks and fake videos on social media will weaken the Israeli public, but this is a big mistake, he said.

He was convinced that Israel will triumph in the end as it has in the past, and asked the nation to maintain its spirit and its unity.