Israel and the Second Phase of Liberation: Conditions, Dignity, and Warnings in a High‑Tension Scenario

Cayey, Puerto Rico – February 23, 2025

In a recent statement issued from Cayey, Dr. José Benjamín Pérez Matos addressed the development of negotiations surrounding the liberation of hostages in Israel, within a context marked by diplomatic complexity and growing tension in the region. The analysis focused on the conditions set by the Israeli government for moving to a second phase of the process.

During his remarks, Dr. Pérez Matos referred to the evolution of events and the expectations regarding the total release of hostages:

“We were seeing on the news that they are about to go into the second phase of the hostage release; and we were also listening to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who told them that the conditions for that release would need to be established now. They said that for this second phase they would release them all; that is what we want: for them to release them all.”

The message also highlighted Israel’s firm stance regarding the conditions of the exchange, particularly concerning the treatment of hostages during their release. Therefore, emphasis was placed on the demand to avoid practices considered offensive or dehumanizing:

“The Prime Minister said: ‘We are not going to release those who are in prison (meaning, it’s an exchange) until you do what we are asking of you; and that is that when you release them, you don’t make a spectacle like you did when you released the previous ones’; given that they staged a performance there, where they even took children there in Gaza, their children, to watch.”

Likewise, the statement incorporated a regional dimension, highlighting the support from Latin America toward the State of Israel and emphasizing an interpretation based on spiritual principles:

“All the Latin American people are united with Israel, and condemn all these acts. Now, there is a Scripture that says that ‘he who blesses Israel will be blessed, but he who curses Israel will be cursed’.”

The analysis presented integrates political, diplomatic, and symbolic elements at a time when decisions made on the ground have implications that transcend the immediate. The evolution of this second phase of liberation thus emerges as a critical point within a broader process that continues to be closely observed by the international community.