Families of Israeli Hostages Stage Bold Protest, Pressuring Netanyahu for Exchange Deal with Hamas

A report by nada Andraos, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

On the 328th day of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the families of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza by Hamas took a different approach.

A number of them breached the security fence separating Gaza from Israel, entering the Strip with the belief that they could retrieve their loved ones held by Hamas. They caught Israeli police off guard, who failed to prevent them from breaking through the barrier.

They crossed the fence near Kibbutz Nirim, adjacent to Khan Younis, holding up pictures of their loved ones. They smeared their white shirts with red paint; symbolizing blood on Netanyahu’s hands if a deal for their release is not struck.

In a desperate attempt to gain any information about their children, the families used loudspeakers mounted on cranes, trying to project their voices into Gaza. The families, who marched from Tel Aviv to the Gaza border to demand a hostages exchange, were well aware that their voices would likely not be heard by the hostages themselves, either inside Gaza or within Netanyahu’s government corridors. But through this unprecedented action, and previous efforts, they are trying to create public pressure on Netanyahu to finalize a deal.

Despite the growing momentum of their movement within Israel, whether through public protests or in opposition to Netanyahu’s government, clashes with the prime minister continue. The families accuse Netanyahu of indifference toward bringing their loved ones home and of sabotaging every possible deal that could end the war and reveal the fate of dozens of hostages still held inside Gaza.