Israel protestors reignite demands for hostage deal with Hamas News
© JURIST / John-Michael Graves
Israel protestors reignite demands for hostage deal with Hamas

More protests erupted in major Israeli cities Saturday, reigniting calls for the government to reach a hostage deal with Hamas. The protests were led by nonprofits such as the Hostages and Missing Families Forum as they recognized over 300 days since the hostages were taken on October 7th, 2023. The protesters marched outside the homes of prominent Israeli politicians, such as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and MK Aryeh Deri. The protesters called for Gallant and Deri to either reach a hostage deal with Hamas or resign from the government. 115 hostages are still being held by Hamas in Gaza, including a number of very young children.

Last month, anti-government protesters marched across Israel’s major cities as well, aiming to pressure the authorities to reach a hostage deal with Hamas, with demonstrators blocking roads and protesting in front of government officials’ homes. The protesters marched to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, calling for both immediate elections and a deal to facilitate the release of the hostages.

Simultaneously, thousands assembled in Tel Aviv, where Einav Zangauker, whose son is held hostage in Gaza, staged a protest by isolating herself in a cage from a bridge over Begin Road. Addressing the crowd, Zangauker described the region as being held hostage by Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s leader in Gaza.

At Kibbutz Or Haner, located near the border with Gaza, demonstrators hung a black balloon to commemorate each person killed in the attack and yellow balloon for every hostage still held in Gaza.

Saturday’s demonstrations came after a dramatic assassination of Hamas’ political leader by Mossad, the Israeli spy agency. Ismail Haniyeh was killed in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Wednesday morning, according to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Tasnim news agency. Hamas immediately accused Israel of the killing in a statement. The Times of Israel reported that Israel enlisted agents in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to plant explosives in Haniyeh’s safehouse. The assassination has thrown negotiations between Israel and Hamas into turmoil.

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