Family members of Israelis held hostage in Gaza, along with thousands of supporters, set out from Ma’ale Hahamisha on the final leg of a four-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, calling for a deal with Hamas to secure the release of their loved ones.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan, 24, was kidnapped by terrorists from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, tells the crowd, “We’re seeing more and more reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to sabotage the deal [to release the hostages]. He adds demands that could cost Matan his life, he adds demands that could cost the lives of other hostages.”
Shouts of “shame!” can be heard from the crowd as Zangauker says the prime minister’s name.
“We won’t let you, Benjamin Netanyahu. We demand that you stop sabotaging the deal, we demand that you sign the deal. Put aside all personal or political considerations and bring the hostages home,” she says.
Yesterday, the families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas decried Netanyahu’s handling of ceasefire talks, after officials accused the premier of derailing the negotiations with his demand for an enforcement mechanism to prevent armed Hamas operatives from returning to northern Gaza.
It is believed that 116 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza — not all of them alive — after 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released prior to that. Seven hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 19 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military.
The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 42 of those still held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza.
source timesofisrael