In France, Jewish residents demand the release of hostages held by Hamas

Large numbers of Jewish residents gathered in Paris on the eve of the first anniversary of Hamas’ large-scale attack on Israel, calling for the release of hostages held by the group.

The rally took place Sunday in central Paris, home to Europe’s largest Jewish community, with around 450,000 members.

At the rally, a woman claiming to have lost her son in the Hamas attack gave a speech. She denounced the group, saying her son was unarmed and was only there to enjoy the music.

Participants then marched through central Paris, holding up photos of the hostages and demanding their release.

One participant estimated that the fighting would stop as soon as Hamas freed the hostages. She stressed that the international community should prioritize their release.

Another person called for continued military actions against Hamas. She said that to prevent further hostage-taking, countries should avoid negotiating with the Islamist group.