(NewsNation) — Michael Levy, the brother of Israeli hostage Or Levy, believes a cease-fire deal “is the only option” to see the 120 captives freed.
Michael Levy joined Connell McShane on “NewsNation Now” to discuss his emotional turmoil and what he believes must be done to free his sibling and others taken captive by Hamas on Oct. 7.
While Israel is currently unwilling to agree to a complete cease-fire, Levy supports its current position, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would agree to a “partial” armistice.
“We know there is a deal that was proposed by Israel, and we support it,” Levy told McShane on “NewsNation Now.” “We call for this deal to be agreed upon, and this deal was outlined by President Biden. As we said from the beginning, we support this deal.
“All that is needed to be done is to put more pressure on Hamas to agree to this deal.”
Israel said it would accept a deal put forth by the Biden administration last month, though there has been no agreement from Hamas. Speaking last week, the president admitted a truce is unlikely to happen soon but said, “I haven’t lost hope.”
Or Levy was one of three men who were kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 from the Supernova music festival, held in southern Israel. Or Levy’s wife was killed on the same day, leaving their three-year-old son, Almog, without his parents.
“He celebrated the saddest birthday you can ever imagine,” Michael Levy said. Notwithstanding the current tragedy, Levy believes his brother is still alive.
“Definitely,” he told McShane. “He was taken alive, and he wasn’t severely injured — and we don’t have any reason to believe otherwise.”
Above all else, Michael Levy believes pressure on Hamas is central to the end of the war in Gaza.
“Military operations won’t release all 120 hostages,” he said. “In terms of doing enough or not, I think the fact they are not here yet means that none of us is doing enough.
“Not me personally, not the media, not the Israeli government and obviously not the international community.”
