Hostage, bereaved families call for Netanyahu to step down

"This government is putting us all at risk to protect their careers," said the organizers of the protest.

 Kabalat Shabbat ceremony in front of the Knesset, where the families of the victims and hostages are camped.  (photo credit: Courtesy)
Kabalat Shabbat ceremony in front of the Knesset, where the families of the victims and hostages are camped.
(photo credit: Courtesy)

A group of some of the families who lost loved ones in the October 7 attack or have relatives who are being held hostage by Hamas gathered in front of the Knesset on Friday to demand that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be removed from office.

The main movement promoting the protest was "The Families' Tent," one of the groups representing families affected by the October 7 massacre.

"We have been sitting in a protest camp in front of the Knesset for 16 days, because we are not ready to wait for the next day. This government is putting us all at risk to protect their careers," said The Families' Tent in an announcement about the event.

Yaakov Godo, an activist with the Looking the Occupation in the Eye group who lost his son in the massacre, Guy Metzger, whose elderly parents are being held captive by Hamas, Motti Ashkenazi, one of the leaders of the protests that followed the Yom Kippur War, and Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nimrod Shafer spoke at the event.

 Jerusalem - 'knitting the time until they return'. A knitting project to mark the time the hostages are being held. (credit: Courtesy)
Jerusalem - 'knitting the time until they return'. A knitting project to mark the time the hostages are being held. (credit: Courtesy)

Additional protest planned for Saturday

On Saturday night, a number of protest groups intend to hold a demonstration on Aza Street in Jerusalem to demand Netanyahu's resignation.