Hundreds of people gathered in Tel Aviv to protest for the hostages held in Gaza, with family members setting up a barbed wire camp to draw attention to the plight of the captives. The protest comes after terror groups released videos showing the dire condition of hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski.
Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, expressed her anguish at the rally, saying, “Our children are undergoing a Holocaust… Jews are becoming skin and bones because of political survival.” She emphasized that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s prolongation of the war in Gaza is allegedly to appease his far-right coalition partners and stay in power. “If we don’t free everyone now, they will not survive for much longer,” Zangauker added.
The Hostage Family Forum stated that the barbed wire fence compound in Hostages Square would serve as a desperate plea for the loved ones dying in captivity. “We appeal to the Israeli government and the US administration: Look our loved ones – and us – in the eyes. The danger to their lives is tangible and immediate. The risk of losing those deceased is growing. This is the time for a comprehensive deal and an end to the war. No more delays. No more leaving them behind. Stop this nightmare and bring them out of the tunnels and home,” the forum said in a statement.
In related news, US President Donald Trump mentioned that his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s trip to Israel and Gaza focused on ramping up food aid to Palestinians in the coastal enclave. “He had a great meeting with a lot of people, and the primary meeting was on food… And he also had some other conversations that I’ll tell you about later, but he had a meeting on getting the people fed, and that’s what we want,” Trump told reporters.
Meanwhile, a recent poll indicates that 56% of Israelis fear they won’t be able to travel abroad due to mounting global criticism of the Jewish state, as the war in Gaza drags on. Forty percent of Israelis, on the other hand, don’t have such fears, according to the poll.
In a separate incident, a woman was killed and two other people were injured when a car hit a group of cyclists near the northern city of Harish. Police detained the 19-year-old driver for questioning.
