New Delhi: Signalling growing domestic dissent in the fourth month of Isreal-Gaza war, a group of relatives of Israelis who have been held hostage by Hamas militants stormed into a parliamentary committee session in Jerusalem on Monday, demanding that the lawmakers do more to try to free their loved ones, news agency Reuters reported.
As per the report, a woman held up pictures of three family members who were among the 253 people seized in the cross-border Hamas rampage of October 7.
As per the information, around 130 are held as captives in Gaza after others were brought home in a November truce. “Just one I’d like to get back alive, one out of three!” a woman protester cried after pushing into the Knesset Finance Committee discussion. Other protesters, clad in black T-shirts, held up signs reading: “You will not sit here while they die there.”
“Release them now, now, now!”, the report stated.
U.S., Qatari and Egyptian efforts to mediate another release seem far from reconciling Israel’s drive to destroy Hamas and their demand that Israel withdraw and free all of the Palestinians – including senior militants – from its prisons, reported Reuters.
As per earlier reports, demonstrators were seen camping outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence as well as the Knesset building, some demanding an unilateral end to the war or an election that might topple the hard-right government, as per The Guardian.
Earlier on Sunday, PM Netanyahu rejected conditions presented by Hamas to end the war and release hostages that would include Israel’s complete withdrawal and leaving Hamas in power in Gaza, as per Reuters report.
Notably, following that, the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum demanded that Netanyahu “clearly state that we will not abandon civilians, soldiers, and others kidnapped in the October debacle.”
“If the prime minister decides to sacrifice the hostages, he should show leadership and honestly share his position with the Israeli public,” report stated.
A total of 25,295 Palestinians have been killed and 63,000 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said. The toll includes 190 people killed and 340 injured in the past 24 hours.