Israelis expressed concern on Saturday for the fate of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip after Qatar suspended its mediation between Israel and Palestinian Hamas.
On the 400th day of the war unleashed by the Islamist movement, thousands of people gathered, like every Saturday, in Tel Aviv to demand the release of the hostages, noted an AFP journalist. “I am very, very worried,” one of the demonstrators, Ruti Lior, told AFP.
“I don’t really understand to what extent Qatar can or cannot help, but for me it is another proof that this is really lacking in seriousness and that these agreements are being sabotaged,” explained this psychotherapist. In the procession, several people brandished signs with the number 400 or slogans demanding the return of the hostages and the end of the war.
“We have been waiting for 400 days,” testified Gal, a 60-year-old man. Qatar “failed in the issue of mediation, and not only them, but the others also failed.” With the United States and Egypt, Qatar is one of the main players in mediation which aims to establish a truce between the two belligerents and obtain the release of the hostages.
The war was triggered by the surprise attack launched on October 7, 2023 by Hamas in southern Israel, which resulted in the death of 1,206 people on the Israeli side, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count. based on official figures.
Of the 251 people taken as hostages that day, 97 remain detained in Gaza, 34 of whom were declared dead by the Israeli army.
International mediation led to a truce in November 2023 – the only one in the conflict – which lasted a week and allowed the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
On the 400th day of the war unleashed by the Islamist movement, thousands of people gathered, like every Saturday, in Tel Aviv…
Swiss
