Mother of hostage held in Gaza pleads for end to war

The mother of Nimrod Cohen, abducted into Gaza, on Tuesday urged the world to put pressure on Hamas and Israel alike to end the war and secure the release of all the hostages.

Four mothers of Israelis being held hostage in the Palestinian territory visited Geneva for a private meeting with Mirjana Spoljaric, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

"Fighting is not a solution. The only solution to bring Nimrod and the other hostages home is to end the war and sign a deal," Viki Cohen told AFP afterwards.

"We need that the world pressure Hamas and our government. A deal is the only solution."

Cohen said the strain of her 21-year-old son's abduction had taken its toll.

"I'm tired emotionally, physically. And that's why we want to end this nightmare -- and I hope there will be an end soon," she said.

Cohen visited the ICRC president along with the mothers of hostages Ariel and David Cunio, Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David.

The four mothers each gave Spoljaric a private letter with the hope that one day the Red Cross will be permitted to pass them on to their sons.

"The meeting was very sincere," Merav Gilboa-Dalal said.

"We accept the special neutrality position of the Red Cross; it is important so they can facilitate between all sides in conflict."

- ' I must be his voice' -

Earlier this month, Hamas released propaganda videos showing David severely undernourished and visibly weakened, including one in which he digs with a shovel in the sandy floor of a tunnel, saying he is preparing his grave.

"Under the ground in a dark tunnel -- no place to move, no place to stand up, even," his mother Galia David told a meeting with the UN correspondents' association.

"I didn't want to watch this video because I was afraid that it would tear me apart. I know I must be his voice. I know I must keep on until he will return back.

"We are concerned all the time our sons are in the dungeons of Gaza."

Israel has said its military will "take control" of Gaza City in a plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet that sparked a wave of global criticism.

"That the war keeps on -- yes, we are really afraid," said Galia David.

"We know from hostages that were released that the Hamas terrorists are even more evil with them when there is fighting. They abuse them more, so it affects them for sure, it affects our sons."

Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Out of 251 hostages captured during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable.