Families of Hostages Block Major Highway in Protest

By Yoni Weiss

Families of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip blocked the southbound lanes of the Ayalon Highway, a major traffic artery in Tel Aviv, on Thursday. The demonstration was in response to the seemingly stalled negotiations for the release of the captives.

The protest was also a reaction to a recent statement by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in which he expressed willingness to accept a partial agreement with Hamas, securing the release of only some hostages.

“In light of the stalled negotiations and Netanyahu’s statement that he’s willing to consider a partial deal, family members burned a cage on the highway with the word ‘Help’ written on it,” stated a spokesperson for the protesting families. The demonstrators urged the public to join their struggle to “bring back the hostages and save the country.”

The families accused the Prime Minister of abandoning the hostages, claiming he was willing to “bury them in Gaza as long as he kept his seat.”

Since Oct. 7, “265 days have passed since they were kidnapped, and due to the Prime Minister’s mismanagement, we’re reaching a point where Israel no longer has leverage over Hamas for a deal.”

The protesters voiced concerns about the potential expansion of the war.

They stressed that “only a deal that returns all the hostages and ends the war in the south will save the country.”