Thousands of people across Israel joined families of hostages yesterday to protest against the government and call for Benjamin Netanyahu’s ouster as the Israeli prime minister grapples with one of the most serious threats to his coalition, the Guardian reports.
Demonstrators in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, Caesarea and other cities on Saturday demanded the release of those still trapped in Gaza and branded the prime minister an “obstacle to the deal”, vowing to hold out until he is ousted. .
The protests across the country coincided with reports by Egypt’s Al-Qahera TV station, known for its links to the country’s intelligence services, that truce talks between Israel and Hamas were to resume today in Cairo.
“176 days have passed since I did not close my eyes to the thoughts and fear of what my son and the other abductees are going through,” said Shira Albag, the mother of hostage Liri Albag.
“The people of Israel will not forget or forgive anyone who prevents a deal that would return them [the hostages] to us. After 176 days, 4,224 hours, the excuses disappeared,” she added.
Raz Ben-Ami, a former hostage freed almost two months ago, said: “They [the hostages] will not last there, no one can survive what they go through there, believe me.”
Demonstrators shouted that they “will not stop until everyone is home”, chanting “enough killing, enough despair, hostages are the most important thing”.
Police used water cannons to disperse the protesters and arrested 16 people.
The families of the hostages called on ministers, including Netanyahu’s political rival and war minister Benny Gantz, to join other Knesset members in removing Netanyahu from power, accusing the prime minister of deliberately sabotaging efforts to secure the release of their relatives.
Einav Zangauker, the mother of Matan Zangauker, who is still in Gaza, said Netanyahu’s handling of the hostage situation was “incomprehensible and criminal.”
“Prime Minister Netanyahu, after you abandoned our families on October 7, and after 176 days of not reaching an agreement [for their return], and because you are constantly engaged in obstructing the agreement, we realized that you are an obstacle to an agreement. You are an obstacle. You are the one standing between us and the return of our loved ones to their homes,” she said.
“If we do not take immediate action to remove you from office, we will not be able to see our loved ones return home alive and fast, and we will not see our dead return to Israel for burial […] So today we are forced to begin a new phase in to our struggle,” she added.
On Saturday night, hundreds gathered outside Netanyahu’s private residence in Jerusalem, and another mass protest is expected in the city today, with some planning to camp in tents near the Knesset.
“If the families knew how small the gap Netanyahu is refusing to close in negotiations with Hamas, they would explode,” said Amos Malka, the former head of the Israel Defense Forces’ military intelligence agency who was among the speakers at the conference gathering in Tel Aviv.
“This is another proof of his unfitness for service,” he said.
