Hundreds of thousands of people have demonstrated in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities for the conclusion of an agreement to release around 100 hostages held by Hamas. “Your time is running out,” said the relative of a hostage shot by the Islamist extremists at the rally in Tel Aviv. “We must not sacrifice any more lives, we must not sacrifice them (the remaining hostages).”
Hamas terrorists killed Carmel Gat, another woman and four men last week with close-range gunfire. The Israeli military found their bodies in a tunnel in Gaza last Sunday. “The six would be here with us today if (Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) had said yes to a deal,” Gat’s relative shouted to the crowd with sadness and anger in her voice.
Hamas and other Islamist terrorist groups invaded southern Israel on October 7 last year, killing more than 1,200 people and taking about 250 others hostage in the Gaza Strip. The unprecedented massacre triggered the Gaza War.
101 hostages still in Gaza
According to Israel’s count, 101 people are still held captive by Hamas, although it is unclear how many of them are still alive. Indirect negotiations for their release, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, have been going in circles for months without any results. The desired deal would also include an end to the war, the withdrawal of the Israeli military from the Gaza Strip and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.
