OProtesters are demanding an end to hostilities to allow the return of all hostages held by Hamas in the Palestinian enclave ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled trip to the United States next week.
“Netanyahu signs deal before flying to DC [Washington]”, was written on banners and chanted by the protesters, who included family members and close associates of the hostages and a wide range of anti-government civil groups, who also demanded the prime minister’s resignation.
Israel and Hamas have held indirect talks in recent weeks in Doha and Cairo, with positive signs that an agreement was close, but at the last minute Netanyahu added demands that have blocked the talks, such as Israeli control of the Philadelphia corridor and the Rafah crossing on the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt.
“At least 20 hostages captured alive died during 288 days in Gaza. And with each passing day, hostages die, fall ill and suffer severe torture,” lamented Yizhar Lifshitz today, quoted by the EFE agency, and whose parents Yocheved Lifshitz, freed in October, and Oded Lifshitz, still captive, were kidnapped nine months ago in the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israeli territory.
Nadav Rudaeff, son of Lior Rudaeff, who was killed by Hamas in an attack on October 7 and whose body remains in the Gaza Strip, also demanded an agreement to be able to bury his father, who would have turned 62 last Friday.
“I am angry because we don’t have a place to mourn you. Why does anyone think it is logical that I should beg for a grave? What the hell are we supposed to do, sit on the balcony overlooking Khan Yunis and Rafah and pray?” he asked.
Also participating in the protest was former US ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides, who asked Netanyahu to publicly say before Congress in Washington that he supports the proposed agreement presented by US President Joe Biden in May, which has served as the basis for negotiations since then.
“Tell them how important this is for our country, for your country, for the families sitting here today, for the mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. Tell them they must bring them home now,” the former diplomat urged.
Netanyahu has been invited to address a joint session of both houses of the US Congress next Wednesday and is expected to meet with Biden, although the date for the meeting has not been set.
According to the Israeli press, the head of the Israeli government also intends to meet with the former US President and Republican candidate in the elections for the White House in November, Donald Trump.
Leaks to Israeli media suggest that several released hostages and family members of those still held will travel to Washington at the same time as Netanyahu’s visit.
So far, the parties have only signed a one-week truce agreement in November, which allowed for the exchange of 105 Israeli hostages for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
In addition, four hostages were released by Hamas in October and seven were rescued by the army, which also recovered twenty bodies.
Of the 251 abducted on October 7, 116 remain inside the Gaza Strip, but 42 have been confirmed dead by Israeli intelligence, although Hamas puts the toll at more than 70.
The United States, Israel’s main ally, has criticized the way Netanyahu has handled the war in the Gaza Strip, in retaliation for the October 7 attack by Hamas, which has already cost the lives of around 39,000 people in the enclave, most of them civilians.
Read Also: Gaza ceasefire talks near ‘goal’
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Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2601835/milhares-de-israelitas-nas-ruas-exigem-a-netanyahu-cessar-fogo-imediato
