Thousands of people protested in Israel Saturday against the new military offensive against Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
At the central rally in Tel Aviv, which was called by The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, relatives who have been fearing for their loved ones for 581 days now also spoke.
According to official Israeli figures, 59 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, but only 24 of them are believed to be alive.
Ilan Dalal, the father of an Israeli man who was abducted on October 7, 2023 after the Hamas attack said that his son and the other hostages still alive are in immediate danger.
“They could be killed by Israeli army bombings. Terrorists could murder them if they hear the Israeli army coming. Or they may simply not survive the harsh and inhumane conditions of their captivity,” he added.
Addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Dalal said: “You are elected officials, you must listen to the public. And the public is saying loud and clear: ‘All of them! Now!’ It is time to make a courageous and necessary decision to end the war and bring everyone home.”
“Don’t sacrifice our children,” the mother of another hostage said.
Earlier, the Family Forum had published a statement warning that the Israeli government’s strategy could lead to political and moral defeat.
“A historic opportunity is being wasted because Israel continues to insist on continuing the war in Gaza and abandoning the hostages,” it asserted.