Nationwide Protests Demand Hostage Deal as Families Accuse Netanyahu of Blocking Agreement
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
TEL AVIV (Worthy News) – Thousands of protesters flooded streets and highways across Israel on Tuesday in a nationwide day of action demanding the government reach an agreement for the release of the roughly 50 hostages still held in Gaza.
The demonstrations, organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, began at 6:29 a.m., the exact time Hamas launched its October 7, 2023, assault. Protesters unfurled Israeli flags outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv before moving to block major roads and junctions.
Highways, including Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Freeway, Route 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and the Coastal Highway (Route 2), were shut down for several hours as demonstrators set tires alight and held signs reading “We’ll stop when everyone returns.”
Police eventually reopened all routes, stressing that while freedom of protest is protected, blocking roads and lighting fires is a criminal act that endangers the public. One protester was arrested in Tel Aviv after officers found her carrying a smoke grenade.
Families: Government “Abandoned the Hostages”
At Hostages’ Square in Tel Aviv, relatives of captives delivered an emotional appeal.
- Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fearing public pressure rather than seeking a resolution: “We have a wonderful nation, but there is no government. Only with our strength can we bring about a comprehensive agreement and an end to the war.”
- Itzik Horn, whose son Eitan remains in captivity while his other son Iair was freed, condemned what he called the government’s “deliberate torpedo operation of an agreement,” adding that moving ahead with plans to conquer Gaza City while a deal sits on the table is “a stab to the heart of the families and the entire nation.”
- Hagit Chen, mother of American-Israeli hostage Itay Chen, warned, “The people are with us. The power is in our hands. We cannot be ignored. The people can bring the hostages back home.”
Hamas last week claimed it had accepted a proposal to release half of the hostages in exchange for talks on ending the war. Netanyahu has rejected partial releases, insisting Israel will only agree to a deal freeing all hostages at once while pressing forward with plans for a major offensive in Gaza.
Protests Outside Ministers’ Homes
Beyond Tel Aviv, demonstrators also gathered outside the homes of senior ministers, including Education Minister Yoav Kisch in Hod Hasharon and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Ness Ziona.
At a Tel Aviv rally, opposition MK Gilad Kariv argued that public pressure has been essential to past deals: “Without a protest for the hostages, there would have been no prior agreements. We will not give up. We will shake the country, end the war, and bring everyone home.”
Escalating Movement
Tuesday’s protests marked the second consecutive week of nationwide strikes and demonstrations led by hostage families. Just last week, nearly half a million Israelis filled Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, underscoring growing frustration with Netanyahu’s government and the war’s trajectory.
As evening rallies continued Tuesday in Tel Aviv, featuring speeches by freed hostages and reservists, families reiterated their demand: a comprehensive deal now, before further military escalation in Gaza.
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