The two Israeli hostages rescued by the IDF in Rafah last week called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to send delegates to ceasefire talks in Cairo, saying that only a hostage deal will ensure the release of every captive.
“We cannot rescue all 134 hostages in heroic operations,” Luis Har and Fernando Merman said in a statement with their family members who were freed in last year’s hostage deal: Gabriella and Mia Leimberg, Clara Merman.
Hostages and Missing Families Forum spokesperson Haim Rubinstein said at the demonstration in Tel Aviv that “tonight on the stage, families will cry out in the name of their loved ones wasting away in tunnels in Gaza, who cannot be here to cry out themselves.”
Criticisms towards the government heard
He criticized the government’s decision not to send a negotiation team to Cairo on Thursday to continue the negotiations with Hamas on a hostage swap.
“Hamas demands may be high, and we’re not calling for a deal at any price – we understand,” he said, “but the negotiation has only started – get into the negotiation room now!”
There was also a demonstration outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem.
Hagit Chen, mother of 20-year-old hostage Itay Chen, said that “there won’t be a victory until we bring home all the hostages, including our soldiers.”