Families of the hostages gathered again outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening, calling for an end to Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, which began overnight on Monday.
Their protest came as Netanyahu gave a press conference about Israel's economic future. In his remarks, he compared the situation Israel is in to ancient Greece, saying, “We are Athens and Sparta, or perhaps Super-Sparta. We have no choice.”
Macabit Mayer, the aunt of hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, said that she was terrified for her nephews in Gaza based on the explosions she could hear from her house in southern Israel.
"This morning I woke up, an hour away from the border, and my house shook! So what's going on with Gali and Ziv that my house, an hour away, shook? What the hell are you doing? Where are you leading us? To what hell are you leading this wonderful nation? You are not worthy of this nation!"
'Who are you bringing these buildings down on?'
She went on to beg Netanyahu to speak with the families, expressing her frustration that families had to speak with American officials instead of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer or other security officials.
"All day long, you boast about killing and destruction. Bringing down buildings in Gaza—who are you bringing these buildings down on? Could it be that you are bringing these buildings down right now on Gali and Ziv and all the souls left there—the living and the deceased?"
She continued, saying that she believed that the people of Israel and the US administration would save the hostages.
"What do they have left to hold on to? Only this nation and only the Trump administration. You will not save them; our people will save them, and maybe the Trump administration will save them."
After the protests had concluded, US President Donald Trump posted a picture of a banner reading "President Trump, save the hostages now!" from protests at Hostages' Square.
'Why are they still in Gaza?'
Shay Dickman, the cousin of Carmel Gat, who was murdered while in Hamas captivity in September of last year, also participated in the protest. Dickman expressed his anger towards Netanyahu, accusing him of choosing war over a peace deal that could have saved many lives.
"Prime Minister, the November deal lasted seven days. If it had continued for an eighth, ninth, and tenth day, we would have been embracing Matan, Iair, and Eitan here. Esther would have been embracing her child Yagev, and I would have been standing here with Carmel—alive, smiling, healing, and recovering.
"But Prime Minister, back then you chose war over a deal."
Dickman went on to point out examples of how IDF troop movements affect the hostages in Gaza.
"When the military pressure reached Khan Yunis in January, where Elad Katzir was held captive, his captors executed him. In February, when the military pressure reached Yagev's tunnel with five other hostages, all six were executed by the terrorists holding them. And in August, when the military pressure reached Rafah, Carmel, Alex, Ori, Almog, Eden, and Hersh were executed by the terrorists holding them.
"If you still don't understand, Prime Minister, Hamas terrorists are holding civilians you are responsible for. So tell me, why are they still in Gaza?"
Hanna Cohen, the aunt of Inbar Hayman, who was murdered in captivity and is now the only remaining female hostage held by Hamas, also joined the protest, condemning Netanyahu for abandoning her niece.
"I stand here before the Prime Minister of Israel, who is also the Prime Minister of Inbar Heyman, who was kidnapped and murdered because the State of Israel abandoned her. The Israeli government abandoned her, and now her family is fighting for her return," Cohen said.
“The State of Israel must bring home all the hostages, both the living and the deceased. It is time to bring Inbar Hayman home, just like the other hostages. No more partial deals. Inbar was abandoned while the others were freed. We will not allow any hostage to be left behind.”
Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.