In a bid to garner international support and pressure their government, representatives of Israeli hostage families have traveled to Morocco, urging the Israeli government to reach an agreement with Hamas. Their visit coincided with the Socialist International meeting, hosted by the Socialist Union for Popular Forces in Rabat, which concluded on Sunday. During their stay, the Israeli delegation met with Alejandro Moreno Cardenas, Vice President of the Socialist International, in Rabat. They appealed for the «release of all civilian prisoners who are victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, many of whom are deprived of their freedom and subjected to torture». Moreno Cardenas highlighted the significance of the international community convening in Morocco, a nation bridging Europe and Africa, to not only address the war's atrocities but also to seek solutions for the conflict. He expressed hope for the humanitarian release of prisoners, suggesting that many could return home by Christmas. As a leader of progressive parties in Latin America and the Caribbean, Moreno Cardenas voiced his belief that a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Gaza remains achievable. He mentioned the potential involvement of the Socialist International's president, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, in facilitating this process. Emphasizing the urgent need for peace, Moreno Cardenas stated, «We must all intensify our efforts, each from our respective positions, to achieve agreements that allow both peoples to breathe in peace and harmony.» Previously, in November, the Israeli Families and Missing Persons Forum had appealed to King Mohammed VI of Morocco to «intervene to help release their family members held captive by Hamas since dawn on Saturday, October 7, 2023, and bring them home safely.» The appeal highlighted the king's influential role as head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's Jerusalem Committee, granting him «a special status in these matters.»
