The Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons of Israel, which advocates on behalf of those kidnapped by the terrorist group Hamas on October 7, demanded this Monday from the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to stop the threats and attacks that the organization suffers from civilians and uniformed personnel.
At the forefront of a protest movement demanding Netanyahu's resignation and a truce with Hamas that would allow for the release of the 97 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, The Forum called on the Prime Minister to “publicly and emphatically condemn the dangerous incitement against the families of the kidnapped.”
Denouncing an “increase in the level of incitement” against the relatives, both on social media and in the streets, the Forum reported on its X platform account that it accompanied Einav Tsengauker, mother of the kidnapped Matan Tsengauker, to file a police complaint against a man who threatened her online.
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, which sparked the war and left 1.200 dead and 251 kidnapped, “The families of the abductees have been under unspeakable suffering and endless worry about the fate of their loved ones, and no one in Israel should judge or criticize any family for the way they choose to fight for the return of their loved ones.”, he added in the post.
Netanyahu responded with a video message recorded and broadcast by his office, in which he said he heard the “cry” of the relatives.
“My wife and I have attended heart-wrenching meetings that simply break our hearts. I hear, I listen, I don’t judge either, and I do everything I can to return the abductees and win the war,” he said.
Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid wrote on X that “the threats on Einav Tsengauker’s life are a disgrace to Israeli society.”
“The incitement against them is the result of a violent discourse towards the families of the kidnapped that begins with the members of the coalition.”, added Lapid, who has participated in many of the mass anti-government protests.
On Saturday night, more than 500.000 people took to the streets in several Israeli cities, demanding a truce with Hamas that Netanyahu has flatly refused, as have his ministers.
Police used force to disperse the crowds, leaving several people injured: a man with blows to the chest and head, a young man hit by a stun grenade, a protester with both legs broken after falling from a high place, and an elderly woman with facial injuries.
In addition, the police arrested around thirty people.
At the end of March, At least four relatives of Israeli hostages were arrested at a march in Tel Aviv.
Anti-government protests have gained renewed momentum after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) found the bodies of six Israeli hostages in southern Gaza in late August.
Yesterday, Netanyahu echoed a shooting attack on the border with Jordan that left three Israelis dead to call for unity and try to stop the growing polarization of the country.
“The murderers do not distinguish between us, they want to kill us all, every last one, (whether) right or left, secular or religious, Jews and non-Jews (…) When we are together, our enemies cannot harm us.”, Dijo.
Agencies contributed to this Aurora article.
The hostages' families have sadly earned the right to protest.
Most of them are the others: they pack the demonstrations just to be able to "overthrow" Bibi at any price, including putting pressure on Israel to surrender to Hamas, or returning the Gaza corridors to Hamas so it can rearm without limitations, and holding elections in the middle of a war.
It is very good to punish them in whatever way.
Are the lives of the soldiers who died trying to rescue them worth anything? It seems not.
Well, they should also threaten the lapidary Lapid, who is one of the country's arsonists, dividing the population, because of his lust for power and he doesn't even care about the hostages, he only wants power .HP.