During a break in the criminal trial testimony hearing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when the judges were out of the room, two bereaved family members and one hostage family member cried out to the prime minister in protest of the rising death toll and the heavy weight of war.
“Twelve hundred people dead, the worst catastrophe to occur in 50 years – how many more soldiers are going to die until the ‘ultimate victory’ is secured? Get out whoever you still can – these are our brothers and sisters!” said Nir Gallon.
At about 11 a.m., about an hour before his hearing was scheduled to terminate, Netanyahu received a sealed envelope. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who was in the audience on Wednesday, left with the prime minister.
Netanyahu later returned, but only for a short time before leaving again for a phone call.
'Carmel Gat, murdered in captivity'
Carmel was shot dead by Hamas terrorists in a tunnel in Rafah about a year ago, along with five other hostages: Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lobanov, and Almog Sarusi.
Dickmann was asked to leave the courtroom immediately, as the tensions rose, while Netanyahu’s supporters shouted back at the opposers, and Netanyahu himself was rushed out of the room.
When matters calmed and Netanyahu returned to the courtroom, along with the judges, he said, “What has happened is not what will be” in terms of the “incitement” against him, and that “reality has changed. This demands a different sort of treatment.”