Amid optimism in Israel about a hostage deal with Hamas, the families of Israeli hostages in Gaza held several protests across Tel Aviv Saturday evening and warned in a statement against procrastination.
The families then urged the UN Security Council to approve an exchange deal and impose it on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the support of the major world powers.
“The hostages will only return if there is a comprehensive deal and if the war ends,” Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan said at a protest in Tel Aviv. She then addressed the council’s five permanent members—the United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom— asking them not to veto the deal.
According to some estimates, some 45,000 people protested at more than 30 sites across Israel last Saturday night against the Netanyahu government and for a ceasefire deal that would release the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Three adjacent rallies were held in Tel Aviv. Two protests were on the issue of prisoners while a third was organized against the government's judicial overhaul of 2023. The last protest was attended by 12,000 people, including Israel Bar Association head Amit Becher.
“They thought the protest campaign had failed, so they decided to resume the wave of judicial overhaul,” Becher said at the protest.
“We have to show them that our revolution has not failed, that our zeal for democracy still burns and that we insist on overthrowing the government,” he added.
Thousands of protesters also attended a large rally calling for a hostage deal in Hostage Square on Kaplan Street, marking 428 days since the start of the war.
Israel Police announced that they arrested five people on suspicion of assaulting a police officer at the demonstration.
Thousands of others demonstrated in the city's Begin Road, where fires were soon put out. Three protesters were injured in police assaults, including a young woman whose head was repeatedly hit on the ground.
The protest was attended by Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan.
Earlier on Saturday, Hamas published a video showing that her son was still alive. Matan asked for serious efforts to secure his release.
Netanyahu’s office said he had spoken with Einav following the video’s release. It said the prime minister had told her he is “acting fiercely and in every way to return Matan and all the hostages home - both the living and the dead.”
But Einav said she does not trust the PM. “Today you speak about optimism. Don't spoil the deal again, like you did before. Don't sacrifice my son to save your throne,” she said.
Nufar Buchstab, the sister of Yagev Buchstab who was kidnapped on October 7 and then killed during captivity, said that for months, the families had warned that military pressure on Hamas would put the hostages at risk.
“Hamas militants kidnapped and killed my brother and they will forever be guilty of their act, but the government still dictates a policy of hostage sacrifice,” she said.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the significant increase in the number of protesters last Saturday night is a sign of hope that participation will increase in future demonstrations.
