Politics Hundreds in Israel protest for hostage agreement

Several hundred people have once again protested in the Israeli coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv for the release of hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip. Her son still bears the scars of his ordeal, said the mother of a boy kidnapped by Hamas, who was released as part of an agreement at the end of November 2023, at a rally in the city center. The then twelve-year-old is still afraid to sleep and suffers from hair loss.

"A murderous government is abandoning the hostages" chanted people at another rally in Tel Aviv. They accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of sacrificing the hostages. Relatives of the hostages have long accused the head of government of sabotaging a deal with Hamas and bowing to the demands of his ultra-religious and far-right coalition partners. They are against making concessions to the Islamist organization. Netanyahu is dependent on his partners for his political survival.

Demonstrations in favor of an agreement to end the war, which also provides for the release of the hostages, also took place in Jerusalem and Beersheba, among other places. During a smaller rally in the coastal city of Haifa, rocket fire from Lebanon triggered an alarm. A video circulated in Israeli media shows demonstrators taking shelter in nearby buildings. There are currently restrictions on gatherings in the city due to the security situation.

In their speeches, relatives of the hostages also appealed to US President-elect Donald Trump to exert pressure on Netanyahu. The families are also concerned that the abductees may not survive the winter. Earlier this month, Israeli media reported, citing new intelligence figures, that around half of the approximately 100 hostages were still alive.

SDA