Families of hostages held in Gaza issued warnings on Saturday ahead of nationwide protests against plans for the Israeli military to capture and occupy Gaza City, while a limited cease-fire and hostage deal that Hamas has agreed to remains on the table.
Einav Zangauker, mother of the hostage Matan, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of sabotaging the deal. "If the Gaza takeover begins, there will be no deal. The occupation of Gaza will collapse negotiations, and hostages and soldiers will die," she said near Israel's Defense Ministry. "People of Israel: we have only a few days to stop this. We must force Netanyahu to accept the deal and ensure he immediately advances an agreement that will bring everyone home and end the war."
Yehuda Cohen, father of the hostage Nimrod, said Netanyahu is misleading the public about his willingness to pursue a comprehensive deal. "Only a month ago, he looked families in the eye and said an all-in-one deal wasn't possible," he said, addressing U.S. President Donald Trump: "We know you are a president of life and peace, not of death and war. Only you can order Bibi to end the war and stop the loss of life. The opportunity is now."
Itzik Horn, whose son Eitan is still held hostage, added that the war has already achieved its military objectives. "The government is being run by extremists who see this period as miraculous and are willing to sacrifice Eitan and our children for messianic fantasies. I appeal to the people of Israel: you are our hope," he said.
