Families of Israeli captives arrive in Jerusalem, rally at PM’s office | Israel-Palestine conflict News – Canada Boosts

Household, buddies and supporters of Hamas captives marched from Tel Aviv to demand rapid launch, authorities motion.

Tens of hundreds of protesters have arrived in Jerusalem after a five-day march from Tel Aviv to place strain on the Israeli authorities for the rapid launch of captives held by Hamas in Gaza.

An estimated 20,000 demonstrators, together with household and buddies of about 240 captives, held a rally in entrance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s workplace on Saturday. They are saying the federal government has been ignoring their pleas to prioritise bringing their family members house.

The marchers walked for hours alongside the freeway connecting the 2 cities, holding posters of the captives with the slogan “Bring them home now.”

They wish to put pressure on the federal government “to do everything they can to bring the hostages back,” mentioned Noam Alon, 25, clutching {a photograph} of his kidnapped girlfriend, Inbar.

“We are expecting them to meet with us, we are expecting them to tell us how they are going to do it,” he advised the Reuters information company. “We cannot wait any longer, so we are demand [ing] them to do that now, to pay any price to bring the hostages back.”

The captives had been taken throughout the October 7 assault by the Palestinian group on southern Israel, which additionally left 1,200 folks useless, largely civilians. Since then, Israel launched a large aerial and floor offensive on the Gaza Strip, which is underneath Hamas’s management, killing greater than 12,000 folks, additionally largely civilians.

A spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s navy wing, mentioned on Saturday that it has misplaced contact with among the teams liable for the protection of the captives within the Gaza Strip.

“The fate of the captives and those holding them is still unknown after we lost communication with them,” he mentioned.

Many family members and buddies of the lacking fear they will come to harm in Israeli assaults on Gaza designed to destroy Hamas. The federal government says the offensive improves the probabilities of recovering hostages by placing strain on Hamas.

Amongst those that marched to Jerusalem was centrist opposition chief Yair Lapid, who has been largely supportive of the struggle however has demanded Netanyahu’s resignation.

Miki Zohar, a member of Netanyahu’s cupboard and occasion, was heckled on Friday when he visited the marchers at a relaxation cease.

Authorities ‘isn’t speaking’

Hamas on Monday launched a video of the primary hostage confirmed to have died in captivity, and earlier mentioned others have been killed.

That has stoked the anxiousness of campaigners and family members calling on the Israeli authorities to hurry up any prisoner swap, and frustration with Netanyahu’s insistence that discretion is required across the Qatari- and Egyptian-mediated negotiations.

“It’s impossible that there are 240 kidnapped people and the government – our government – isn’t talking to [the relatives], isn’t telling them what’s going on, what’s on the table, what’s on offer, what are the reasons for and against. Nothing,” campaigner Stevie Kerem advised Reuters.

Oliver McTernan, who has labored on hostage negation for 20 years, mentioned the households had been proper to be involved. The one approach to obtain the return of the captives, he mentioned, is a ceasefire of sufficient length to maneuver them safely throughout the battlefield. Israel has mentioned such a transfer would merely permit Hamas to rearm.

“I think every day that goes on there is a risk — risk with bombings, risk with incursions and whatever — of the civilians, Israeli civilians, dying in Gaza,” McTernan advised The Related Press information company, including that that “should be a priority of any government: to ensure their safety and their return to their families”.