Israelis massed at protests around the country on Saturday night, demanding that the government conclude a hostage deal for the return of the 101 remaining captives held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Thousands filled the road outside the IDF military headquarters as protesters marched and blocked highways in multiple additional locations, including Beersheba, Haifa, and Jerusalem.
How the protests immediately sparked
The deaths of six hostages murdered over a week ago, just before IDF forces reached them, sparked huge protests and a general strike last week.
The momentum has yet to die down, and following a week of protests, hostage families and organizations have pushed for the public to continue to take to the streets and call for a deal.
Organizers of the demonstrations said that more than 400,000 people nationwide came out to protest, Maariv reported.
According to a Ynet report, hundreds marching towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem were blocked about 300 meters away.
Statements by released hostages and their families
Ynet quoted Adina Moshe, a resident of Nir Oz who was held hostage and released in the November deal, as saying, “Netanyahu is a liar; he said he could empathize with me. Those who know what it’s like to mourn don’t speak like that. He knows what bereavement is because his brother was killed, and I agree with him on that. A bereaved person doesn’t talk like that, even if he wanted to save his seat in government.”
Andrey Kozlov, who was rescued in the IDF’s Operation Arnon, said on Saturday that his 246 days in Hamas captivity “were hell.” Referring to his encounter with fellow hostage Alexander Lobanov while in captivity, he said, “He taught me words in Hebrew, shared our fears and hopes. I was lucky. He should have been here with us.
Alex was there with me, in hell for two months,” Kozlov continued. “Michel’s husband, the father of Tom and Kai, the son he never had the chance to meet.”
Lobanov’s body was found in southern Gaza along with the bodies of five other hostages.
Daniel Aloni, who was freed in November, together with her daughter, also spoke at the Tel Aviv demonstration with harsh words for Netanyahu.
“I was in the tunnels with some of the hostages who were murdered in captivity, and you, in fact, by your decision not to return them, did not prevent their deaths,” she said, according to Ynet. “Instead of returning them, you hold press conferences designed to explain to the citizens of Israel why you gave up on them.
“I know that Netanyahu has trouble remembering the date of the worst disaster of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, so let me remind him that today is September 7 – exactly 11 months after,” she added.
Danny Miren, the father of Omri, who is still held captive by Hamas, spoke at a demonstration in Jerusalem, saying, “We carried empty coffins wrapped in the national flag, hoping that our children would return to us on their feet and not in a coffin. It seems that not even one percent of the people’s feelings touched the hearts of the decision-makers.”