Israeli President Herzog talks to Elon Musk about hostage talks

Israeli President Herzog talks to Elon Musk about hostage talks

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has contacted Elon Musk in recent days to restart talks on the release of hostages currently held in Gaza. This was reported by a source close to President Herzog.

Background to the hostage taking

The source told CNN that Herzog made the call at the request of family members of the hostages, who hope Musk will be able to put pressure on everyone involved to reach an agreement. There are now believed to be around 100 hostages, both alive and dead, in Gaza, including 96 who were kidnapped during Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7 last year.

Political developments and pressure on Israel

The communication comes as President-elect Donald Trump, with whom Musk is close, said on Monday that there would be "ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East" if the Gaza hostages are not released before his inauguration on January 20.

The influence of Elon Musk

A source close to the hostage families who spoke with President Herzog and is familiar with the content of the conversation told CNN: "There was a conversation between the President and some of the hostage families that also discussed the influence on Trump. Musk's name was mentioned as an influential figure, which is why it is important to have an open dialogue with him."

Challenges to the release of the hostages

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under immense pressure from the families of those abducted to secure their release. However, repeated attempts to reach a ceasefire agreement in exchange for the hostages have failed.

Musk's previous engagements

Last November, Musk traveled to Israel to speak with leaders and relatives of hostages. This initiative was part of his efforts to distance himself from an anti-Semitic tweet in which he agreed that Jewish communities promote “hatred against whites.”

This story has been updated.