Tens of Thousands Rally in Israel for Hostage Release Deal

Tens of Thousands Rally in Israel for Hostage Release Deal

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Tel Aviv and other cities across Israel on Saturday, calling for a deal to free approximately 100 hostages still held by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

At the Tel Aviv rally, relatives of hostages expressed their grief and anger, urging the government to prioritize the lives of the remaining captives. “We must not sacrifice any more lives,” said a family member of a hostage who was killed last week. The hostage, Carmel Gat, was one of six individuals found dead by Israeli soldiers in a Gaza tunnel, reportedly shot at close range.

“If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to a deal, they would still be with us today,” Gat’s relative told the crowd, her voice filled with sorrow.

The current hostage situation stems from the events of Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas and other Palestinian extremist groups launched a deadly attack on southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and abducting around 250 others. The unprecedented assault sparked the ongoing Gaza war.

Israel reports that Hamas continues to hold 101 hostages, though it remains unclear how many are still alive. Negotiations for their release, mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, have been stalled for months. Talks aim to reach an agreement that would end the war, secure the release of the hostages, and potentially involve the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as well as the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Critics accuse Netanyahu of hindering progress by making demands deemed excessive, including the permanent stationing of Israeli troops in Gaza. His coalition government, which includes far-right parties, strongly opposes any concessions to Hamas, threatening to destabilize the alliance if Netanyahu proceeds with negotiations.

Protests calling for a hostage deal also took place in cities like Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheba, and Caesarea, as pressure mounts on the government to act.