Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Elon musk as “in the last few days” to discuss a revival of talks to secure the release of hostages currently held in Gaza, a source of president says.
The source told that Herzog called at the request of hostage family members who think Musk will be capable to put pressure on all parties to secure a deal about that.
The connection comes after newly President-elect Donald Trump, to whom Musk has closely allied himself, said Monday that there would be “ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East” if the hostages being held in Gaza aren’t released before he is sworn in as president on January 20.
A source close to the hostage families, who spoke with President Herzog and who is familiar with the conversation, told: “There was a chat between the President and a few hostage families, where one of the subjects discussed was influence on Trump, and Elon Musk’s name came up as someone of influence on Trump. Therefore, keeping an open channel with him is important.”
Source says there are 100 hostages, both dead and alive, currently held in Gaza, 96 of whom were taken during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel last year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under intense pressure from the families of those captured to secure their release, but repeated efforts to strike a ceasefire-for-hostages agreement have fallen short.
Last November, musk visited Israel to meet leaders and the relatives of hostages, as part of his efforts to walk back an antisemitic tweet in which he agreed with a user that Jewish communities push “hatred against Whites.”