During Hamas’s surprise raid on southern Israel in October last year, militants killed at least 1,200 people, took 250 people hostage and brought them to Gaza.
Crowds gather at weekly rally in Tel Aviv to demand the Israeli government reach a deal Returning hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Afterwards months of recessionIsrael and Hamas are approaching a ceasefire to end the 14-month war.
Senior US, Qatari and Egyptian officials resumed mediation efforts earlier this month and greater willingness on both sides to reach an agreement.
“The State of Israel, of course Return the kidnapped person alivebut he is obliged not only to them, but also to return. to those who are no longer aliveOfek Shaul, brother of Israeli soldier Oron Shaul, who died in Israel’s war against Hamas in 2014 and whose remains are still held in Gaza, said: “This is not just a moral and ethical obligation, it is the duty of the state. The values on which it is built.” .
In a ceasefire in November last year, more than 100 hostages were released in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Israel announced that there are nearly 100 hostages in Gazabut at least a third of them are believed to have died.
“I am here today crying out not only for those who were kidnapped, not only for my father, but also for my country. For my wounded and bleeding country that needs light, needs miracles. We want our trust back“said Ella Ben-Ami, the daughter of one of the hostages.
The weekly protests sometimes took on a political dimension: some of those attending the rallies They demand the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and call new elections. They blame him prioritizing their political survival about the lives of the hostages.
Israel’s subsequent bombing and land occupation of Gaza killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of whom were women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The offensive caused widespread destruction and displaced almost 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often multiple times.
