In Tel Aviv they shouted “Time is running out, bring her home!”, Israeli media reported. Meanwhile, a 34-year-old Israeli hostage died, according to Hamas’ armed wing. The death was due to a “lack of medicine and food”.
The demonstrators set several small fires on the streets in the center of the coastal metropolis and blocked a main artery. The slogans were also directed against Netanyahu, whom critics accuse of having failed in crisis management following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7th.
Image: JACK GUEZ (AFP)
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Image: JACK GUEZ (AFP)
In addition, the head of government would subordinate the fate of the hostages to the needs of his political survival, is a view shared by demonstrators. “Whoever abandoned them (the hostages) must bring them back!” they shouted. As on previous Saturdays, they called for the resignation of the Netanyahu government and new elections. One of the speakers said: “My cousin Ofer has been a prisoner of Hamas for 169 days. And we have been prisoners of our government for 169 days.”
Terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups from the Gaza Strip killed 1,200 people and kidnapped another 250 as hostages in their massacre last October. Israel then attacked the Palestinian coastal strip with massive military force to crush Hamas once and for all. Just over 100 hostages were released during a ceasefire in November.