Families of hostages seized by Hamas gunmen on October 7 insist they want their captives to return home, but they are divided over how to do that.
“There is no unity among families,” said Dani Meiran, whose 47-year-old son Omri was taken at gunpoint from the Nahal Oz kibbutz in Hamas’ unprecedented attack on southern Israel.
“There are leftists, rightists, religious, secular and Bedouin people. We have to find common ground,” the father said.
Some vent their frustrations at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of sacrificing the detainees to achieve “complete victory” over Hamas.
Others support the government’s stance that only an increase in military forces in Gaza will allow the remaining captives to return.
For nearly 300 days, these families have been trying to put aside their differences and join serious rallies held at least once a week in Tel Aviv.
“One thing we have in common is that we want the hostages back. But everyone fights in their own way and I don’t know which way is right,” Miran said.
Netanyahu, 79, has vowed not to cut his long white beard until his son returns. He also speaks at rallies where the families are pressuring Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal ahead of his visit to the United States next week.
Agreement now
Hundreds of families and their supporters gathered on Wednesday night for a final push before the Israeli leader’s departure.
One man’s placard read: “Netanyahu, without a deal, can’t travel.”
“Time is running out,” warned another.
Netanyahu will address the US Congress on July 24 and is also expected to meet President Joe Biden.
The visit follows months of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel that have revived the hopes of some families for a ceasefire deal that would see hostages swapped for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Omri Shtivi, whose brother Idan is held captive in Gaza, said striving for a deal was not political but “moral.”
He said, “We demand the return of our loved ones, we do not want to topple the government.”
At a gathering nearby, Yifat Calderon, a fellow relative of the hostage, disagreed and called on the government to resign.
“We demand an immediate end to the war and a settlement. This is the only way to bring them back home,” said Calderon, whose French-Israeli cousin Ofer Calderon was taken from the Nir Oz kibbutz.
“No amount of heroic operations will bring them all back. Military operations in nine months have rescued only seven people.”
More than 100 hostages were freed during a week-long ceasefire in November, leading many families to believe another truce would be better.
During the October 7 attacks that triggered the war, the Palestinian Hamas group took 251 people hostage, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, including 42 who the Israeli military says are dead.
The surprise Hamas attack killed 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli figures.
At least 38,848 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel’s military retaliation, according to health ministry figures in Hamas-ruled Gaza.
‘Till victory’
Yaron Or, the father of hostage Avintan, represents a minority group that sees the ceasefire agreement as endangering Israel’s future because it would create the risk of another attack on Israel.
Their banner at Wednesday night’s rally read: “Fight until victory and bring back Awintan.”
Avintan was kidnapped from a Nova music festival along with his girlfriend Noa Arghamani, who was one of four hostages rescued during an Israeli military raid in June.
“Only when the army takes control of the entire Gaza Strip and the residents understand that Hamas has been defeated will they release the hostages,” said Or, who is part of a group of families who reject negotiations with Hamas.
Despite their differing viewpoints, the hostage families are uniting to achieve their common goal: bringing the hostages back home.
On Wednesday, central Tel Aviv again echoed with their noise.
They chanted, “Achshav, now”.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
