Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Monday, demanding that their government prioritize the release of captives held in Gaza. A protest action in front of the Ministry of Defence. At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that destroying Hamas is Israel’s highest priority. This historic gathering of families and champions demonstrates the deepening frustration with the government’s response in light of increased military actions.
Netanyahu’s government has already approved the consolidating mobilization of over 60,000 reserve troops. Yet this decision is plainly indicative of their intentions to further ramp up the violence against the already-besieged Palestinian enclave. Families of the still-remaining 59 captives took to social media to share their fears. They worry that a larger Israeli ground invasion would endanger their family members’ lives. The protestors called on Netanyahu to stop the military offensive and to direct efforts towards securing an agreement for the captives’ return.
“We want to bring all our hostages home,” – Netanyahu
Growing Frustration Among Families of Captives
Families of the captives have also strongly criticized Netanyahu for sabotaging earlier efforts to negotiate a truce and reopen a way to a swap deal. Others are understandably outraged at his recent machinations. They believe they have been left out of the movement to return their family members home safely. One protester held a placard that read, “our tyrant is a liar, because of him the state is on fire,” reflecting the deep-seated frustrations among those affected by the ongoing conflict.
Critics have pointed out that the widened military offensive doesn’t make it more likely that their expanded release, the captives will be returned any faster. They claim that abandoning the ceasefire has not produced any new settlement or release. This has added another complicated layer to an already tense situation. Gideon Levy, a well-known journalist, commented on the protests, stating, “It’s the same old protest, very courageous and devoted, but not big enough to influence Netanyahu.”
Government’s Justification for Military Action
Despite the criticism, Israel’s government officials continue to argue that an expanded ground offensive will force Hamas to release the hostages. Netanyahu must have been pleased to see that a massive majority of Israeli society supports the war effort. He framed these military strikes as a response to the American people’s emotions, rather than a decision solely made by his administration.
Netanyahu reiterated the importance of military success, stating, “The war has a supreme goal, and the supreme goal is victory over our enemies, and this we will achieve.” This claim has done little to quell the anger brewing among families. They are still deeply concerned that more military action would expose their family members to greater risks.
