Israel-Hamas war: Jewish woman in Northern Ireland laments that Palestinians accused of serious crime must be released to release innocent hostages

She was speaking during a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war which began on 7 October when Hamas murdered some 1,200 Israelis and took around 240 hostages back to Gaza.

Hamas claims that the subsequent Israeli war on Hamas - aiming to eliminate the terror group - has cost some 14,000 Palestinian lives.

Some 77 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Israel’s ground offensive.

As part of a deal, Hamas has so far released 40 Israeli hostages and Israel has released 117 Palestinian prisoners.

Shoshana said: "The hostages are innocent people but for every one that they release we have to let at least three people out who are terrorists. Many of them are in for murder.”

(It is understood the prisoners released by Israel were either convicted or charged with offences from throwing stones to attempted murder.)

After 7 October they immediately brought their daughter back from Israel. In her late thirties, she had been living and working near the border with Lebanon, which has seen increased attacks from the Hezbollah terror group since the Hamas attack.

"She's been back here for six weeks now, because she was up in the north and I thought that while the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) were busy in the south, the north will start up, so I was very fearful.

"So we got her on an overnight flight. She hardly had time to pack, we just said 'just get on the next plane'."

Shoshana and her husband both have extended families in Israel, with many children in the IDF. She is in constant touch with her relatives about their safety.

She is a firm believer in a two-state solution to resolve the bloodshed, which would see Palestinians self govern their areas. "But Hamas don't want a two-state solution, their charter says they want to drive Jews into the sea and have just one Muslim state,” she adds.

Retired British Colonel Richard Kemp, who served seven tours in Northern Ireland, is in Israel acting as a media commentator.

He says that Hamas has not stopped its attacks on Israel since 7 October.

Since then, Hamas has launched some 10,000 rockets into Israel, he notes,

As a result of this - and attacks by the Hezbollah terror group on Israel's northern border - it is understood some 250,000 Israeli civilians have been evacuated from their homes. In Gaza some 1.7m people have been displaced by the war.

"I think Hamas should surrender or get out of Gaza and release all the hostages," Mr Kemp said. "The IDF should resume the offensive as rapidly as possible. The longer this ceasefire continues the more difficult that will be. And the US is pressuring Israel to extend it, perhaps permanently."

"If Hamas had a shred of morality they would lay down their arms, surrender and release their hostages rather than see continued disaster inflicted on the population that they are supposed to represent and protect."

He says the 7 October attack on Israel is "an assault that Hamas leaders have made clear they intend to repeat".

The Palestinian Mission in London has been invited to comment.