NewsIsraelis rally for hostage release ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day
Israelis rally for hostage release ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day
7:03 AM EDT, May 5, 2024
Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into accepting a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. This deal aims for the liberation of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas during the assault on October 7.
The demonstration in Tel Aviv coincided with ongoing negotiations in Cairo concerning the ceasefire and the hostages' release. Families and friends of the more than 130 individuals still held captive insisted that every effort be made to ensure their safe return.
Voices from the protest
"I'm here today to bolster the push for an agreement," stated Natalie Eldor. "We must secure the release of all hostages, whether they are alive or deceased. It's time for a change in government. This conflict must come to an end," she elaborated.
Organized ahead of the Holocaust Remembrance Day Yom HaShoah, which is observed on May 6, the protest reflected the collective sentiment after seven months of conflict in Gaza and amid growing international calls for an end to hostilities.
"The hope that Bar is still alive is what sustains us," shared Ora Rubinstein, the aunt of Bar Kupershtein, one of the more than 250 individuals captured during the attacks near Gaza on October 7 led by Hamas.
Despite fears many hostages have perished, families are adamant that all should be returned home.
"We are committed to ensuring everyone's release. The abandonment faced by Jews during the Holocaust will not be repeated," explained Hanna Cohen, the aunt of 27-year-old Inbar Haiman. Initially believed to be a hostage, Inbar was later discovered to have been killed, with his family convinced that Hamas was withholding his body in Gaza.
Netanyahu's administration has taken a firm stance, asserting that the fight will continue until Hamas is defeated and all hostages are freed.
