Thousands of Israelis gathered outside the Knesset on Sunday to call for the release of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas militants in Gaza six months ago on October 7.
This comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are facing major popular scrutiny and disapproval for their lingering inaction towards reaching a ceasefire deal and returning the remaining hostages.
About 250 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage by militants on October 7. The Army says that 129 hostages are still being held in Gaza, including 34 who are presumed dead.
After a massive anti-government demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday, which also heard emotional calls to free the hostages, organizers of the Jerusalem rally attempted to be apolitical.
Hostage families have accused Netanyahu of trying to blacken their reputations and accusing them of being “traitors” for protesting in wartime.
But Netanyahu vowed on Sunday that the war would not end until all the hostages were released.
The Gaza war broke out on October 7 with an attack by Hamas militants that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,175 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian territory.
The latest round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas was set to resume in Cairo on Sunday, with the United States, Egypt, and Qatar as mediators.
Israel and Hamas have accused each other of dragging out the negotiations.
with AFP
