Thousands of anti-government protesters gathered outside the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv on Saturday, reiterating calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a ceasefire in Gaza that would allow the return of hostages taken during the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7.
One protester held up a placard calling Mr Netanyahu an “enemy of Israel”, while others covered themselves in fake blood and bandages and lay down in the street.
Relatives and family members of the hostages have been holding weekly street protests since October to pressure the government to bring their loved ones home. Some hostages have been released as part of the a temporary ceasefire in November Others were rescued. But more than 100 of them are still in Gaza. It is unknown how many are still alive.
Noa Argamani, a hostage rescued on June 8, called for the release of the remaining captives in a video by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of hostages held captive in Gaza.
“We must do everything possible to bring them home,” Ms Argamani said in the video. She was kidnapped and taken to Gaza with her partner, Avinatan Or, on October 7. still detained.
Efrat Yahalomi, the sister of Ohad Yahalomi, a French-Israeli hostage taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, said it was “incredibly painful” to know that Israeli hostages were languishing in captivity.
“Almost nine months have passed and I am still here, with a heavy heart, while you, Ohad, are still not here,” she said in a statement released by the forum.
