Hundreds of Relatives of Hamas-Held Hostages Protest in Tel Aviv
(AWP) - Hundreds of relatives of the Israeli hostages captured by Hamas Movement in Gaza Strip staged demonstrations outside the defense ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv while carrying the photos of their relatives abducted by Hamas and other Palestinian factions during the attack on areas within the Gaza Envelope on October 7.
The families of the hostages, during their gathering Saturday night, pledged to continue protesting until their relatives are freed.
“We are very troubled by his (the captured soldier's) condition. There was a video showing him while he was kidnapped. His health is good. He is in Gaza but there is no news about him and we do not know anything about him. We ask the government to bring our soldiers back after they did their best for this country. We do not know whether the Red Cross is there or offered him medicine. We do not know anything about his condition. We want all to return to our country,” said a woman relative of an Israeli soldier taken hostage on condition of anonymity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had stated that his government would use any means to determine the place of the abductees and bring them back home.
Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said the issue of the hostages will be the focal point of any discussions on allowing humanitarian aid inside Gaza Strip.
Hamas had released two U.S. hostages – a mother and her daughter – through Qatari mediation on Friday.
Abu Obaidah, a spokesman for the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas Movement, had said the number of Israeli captives in Gaza Strip is between 200 and 250, adding 22 of them lost their lives in Israeli raids.