Thousands of Israelis demonstrated Saturday evening to urge their government to step up efforts to free hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, as signs grew of a possible resumption of negotiations with the involvement of key mediators such as Qatar, the United States and Egypt. Pressure is mounting to…
On Saturday evening, thousands of Israeli citizens took to the streets of several major cities across the country to demand that the government intensify its efforts to finally obtain the release of hostages still in the hands of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Strip. Gaza. More than a year after the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas, the hostage issue remains a burning and emotional issue for many families.
In front of a large crowd gathered in Tel Aviv, the famous Israeli actor Lior Ashkenazi took the floor to highlight the failure of the authorities so far in this matter, while affirming his conviction that an agreement could be reached now. A father whose two sons are still held hostage in Gaza, Itzik Horn, made a poignant appeal: “End the war, now is the time to act and bring everyone home “.
International mediation in action
As popular pressure increases in Israel, diplomatic efforts seem to be intensifying behind the scenes to try to resolve the situation. Several key players in international mediation have indeed multiplied encouraging signals in recent days.
Qatar, the leading mediator between Israel and Hamas, recently spoke of a new “momentum” in discussions towards a ceasefire and a hostage agreement. For their part, the United States, another mediating power, indicated through Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Hamas seemed to have softened its position, calling for this moment to be seized to “finally conclude this agreement”.
Egypt, the third key country in these peace negotiations, is also active behind the scenes. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi met with high-level American envoys on Saturday to discuss ongoing efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement allowing a cessation of hostilities and the release of prisoners.
A deadly conflict and large numbers of hostages
The war that broke out on October 7, 2023 in Gaza, triggered by an unprecedented attack by Hamas against Israel, was particularly deadly and devastating. Since the start of the conflict, only one week-long truce came into effect in November 2023, allowing the release of 105 hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners.
But since this short lull, negotiations have remained deadlocked for many months despite the release of seven additional hostages by the Israeli army. Of the 251 people kidnapped by Hamas in Israeli territory at the start of the war, 96 are still held hostage, 34 of whom were declared dead by the army.
A citizen mobilization that does not weaken
Faced with this dramatic situation, the families of the hostages and many Israelis refuse to give up. Demonstrations like those of Saturday evening are there to remind the government of the urgency to act and to do everything possible to bring the hostages home.
Each day that passes is one day too many for our loved ones who endure the horror of captivity at the hands of Hamas. The government must understand that we will never give up, that we will fight until the end to free them.
A protester, sister of a hostage
Despite the fatigue and pain, Israelis remain hopeful that the joint efforts of their government and international mediators will ultimately bear fruit. Many want to believe that the nightmare of the hostages and their families will soon end and that a comprehensive agreement will finally allow a return to normal life for all.
The ball is now in the court of negotiators and policy makers. The coming weeks will be crucial to determine whether the positive signals mentioned by the various mediators will materialize on the ground. The Israelis will continue to mobilize tirelessly to ensure that the fate of each hostage remains at the heart of national priorities.
