Relatives Of Israeli Hostages Protest In Tel Aviv, Urging Netanyahu To Act Now

Relatives of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza will gather for a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday, marking one year since 105 captives were freed in a temporary ceasefire agreement. The demonstration will serve as a renewed call for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate a lasting ceasefire deal with Hamas to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated, “A full year has passed since the remaining 101 hostages believed their freedom was imminent, yet no further agreements have materialized.” The group expressed growing concern for the hostages’ safety, warning they cannot survive another winter in the “death tunnels” controlled by Hamas.

The protest will take place in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, where family members of both freed and still-held hostages are set to speak. Their demand for swift action echoes the urgency felt by many as attention shifts from the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire to the ongoing Gaza truce talks. US President Joe Biden has pledged to work with Qatar and Egypt to push for a deal between Israel and Hamas.

On Saturday, a Hamas delegation will meet with Egyptian officials in Cairo to discuss a potential ceasefire and prisoner exchange in Gaza. Meanwhile, families of the captives continue their calls for action. Just last week, relatives temporarily blocked the entrance to Netanyahu’s Knesset office in a desperate plea for progress.

One father, whose 19-year-old child remains captive, expressed his anguish, saying, “My Prime Minister, we are asking you, just as you quickly resolved Lebanon, resolve Gaza quickly, too. We trust you can do it if you choose to. Please, we are begging you, from the depths of our hearts, for our loved ones.”