On July 6, tens of thousands of citizens protested across Israel for the release of hostages held by Hamas, and to demand that the government move quickly to accept the newest proposal for a hostage-ceasefire deal by Hamas. The demonstrations were led by families of the hostages, and were backed by rescued hostage Almog Meir Jan, as reported by the Times of Israel.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “We’ve seen how you’ve torpedoed deals again and again at the moment of truth. Don’t you dare break our hearts again.”
The TOI report continued: “Danny Elgarat, whose brother Itzik is held captive, declared that the public was with the hostage families and in favor of reaching a deal with Hamas. ‘The people believe that the country won’t recover without a return of all the hostages. A group of extremists in the government, cut off from the people, want to sentence them to death. Leadership is expected to act according to the will of the people and to hear the cry of the public,’ he said.”
