As families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas press for government plans to return them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Saturday that no agreement has yet been reached regarding them.
Families of the hostages and thousands of their supporters arrived in Jerusalem on Saturday, following a five-day march to confront the government over the plight of prisoners held by Hamas in Gaza.
Noam Alon, 25, who was holding a photo of his kidnapped girlfriend, Inbar, told Reuters that around 20,000 people, including supporters who joined the march on the main highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, wanted to apply pressure on the government “to do everything in its power”. the power of him. “To return the hostages.
He added: “We expect them to meet with us and tell us how they will do it. We cannot wait any longer, so we demand that they do it now and that they pay any price to return the hostages.”
Netanyahu, who said in a press conference on Saturday that there is strong international pressure on Israel to stop fighting, revealed that “so far there is no agreement for the release of hostages” held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu began his press conference with a speech addressed to the families of the hostages, saying: “I want to say to these families, we are walking with you, I am walking with you, all the Israeli people are walking with you,” and continued: “Your loved ones are in our hearts.”
Netanyahu denied what he described as “rumors” on the hostage issue and reiterated: “So far there is no agreement.”
Around 240 people, including children, elderly people and foreigners, are believed to be in the Gaza Strip after being held hostage by Hamas following the October 7 attack on towns and military bases in southern Israel where they were killed 1,200 people.
Many relatives and friends of the missing fear harm in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
The government says the attack increases its chances of recovering the hostages, possibly through a mediated prisoner exchange.
London-based artist Sharon Lifshitt, whose 83-year-old father was abducted, said: “I feel like people think there is time, but for children and older people with complex and difficult needs, there is no time. quickly.”
Negotiation
Many Israelis hold their government responsible for being caught by surprise by the Hamas attack.
Among those taking part in the march to Jerusalem was centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid, who supports the war but calls for Netanyahu’s resignation.
Mickey Zohar, a member of Netanyahu’s government and party, was harassed yesterday, Friday, when he visited march participants at a rest area.
Hamas, which in the early days of the war threatened to execute hostages in response to Israeli airstrikes, said some hostages were killed in the attacks on Gaza.
That has raised concern among activists and relatives calling for the Israeli government to speed up any prisoner exchange, as well as frustration over Netanyahu’s insistence that he needs to remain discreet about negotiations brokered by Qatar and Egypt.
Activist Stevie Kerem said: “It’s impossible that there are 240 people kidnapped and our government doesn’t talk to (relatives) and tell them what’s happening and what’s on the table, what it offers and what the reasons are . … Nothing.”
Despite signs of tiredness and frustration, one of the march participants expressed some optimism.
Merav Leshem Gonen, whose daughter Rumi (23) is among the hostages, said: “I’m happy that all of Israel is around us… that’s what matters in the end.”