Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Tel Aviv to demand the release of the hostages still held in the Gaza Strip and early elections leading to a government other than the one led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As reported by the Times of Israel, protesters blocked the northbound Ayalon Highway until police intervened. Clashes also broke out between officers and protesters with the arrest of Ayala Metzger, the daughter-in-law of hostage Yoram Metzger, who was later released.
Meirav Svirsky, sister of hostage Itay Svirsky who was killed while being kidnapped, has called on the Israeli government not to send forces to Rafah to avoid the deaths of more hostages. Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, said Prime Minister Netanyahu is ”sacrificing” her son and the rest of the hostages.
The appeal of one of the kidnapped to Netanyahu
The protests were fueled even further by the publication yesterday by Hamas of a video showing two Israeli hostages captured during the October 7 attacks alive: Omri Miran, 46 years old and Kith Segal, 64, who is also an American citizen.
“The situation here is not pleasant, it is difficult, there are a lot of bombings. Sometimes we have the feeling that it is getting worse. I ask the Prime Minister and the entire government to participate in the negotiations“, says Siegel in the video, then asking the hostages’ families to “do everything possible and continue with the protests” to bring about an agreement. “I have seen the demonstrations several times in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem”, he added in the video, in which does not have a date, but there is a reference to the Jewish Passover, the Passover holiday which is being celebrated between 22 and 29 April. The hostages also underline that they have been prisoners for 202 days.
Hamas: “Little chance that Israel’s proposal will be accepted”
But an agreement in the negotiations still seems far away. There is little chance that Israel’s latest proposal for a hostage deal will be accepted by Hamas ”without substantial amendments,” a senior Hamas official said. ”The proposal that was presented by the Israelis does not reflect a fundamental change in their position. It does not provide clear answers to the question of withdrawal from Gaza and a total ceasefire,” the official said without providing details on the proposal.
Katz: “If there is an agreement, stop the Rafah operation”
‘But from Israel, Foreign Minister Israel Katz reiterates: ‘If an agreement is reached’ between Israel and Hamas for the release of the hostages still in the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ”will suspend the operation expected in Rafah,” he says in an interview with News 12.
Blinken in Saudi Arabia on Monday and Tuesday
To facilitate the agreement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia tomorrow and Tuesday to meet with regional partners. The objective is to take stock of the efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of the Israeli hostages, as announced by the US State Department.
