ARAB AND WORLD
Mon 18 Nov 2024 2:55 pm - Jerusalem Time
Families of Israeli prisoners demonstrate outside Netanyahu's home to demand exchange deal
Families of Israeli prisoners in Gaza demonstrated on Monday outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home in West Jerusalem to demand a prisoner exchange agreement with resistance factions in the Strip.
Protesters gathered near Netanyahu's home, holding a large red banner that read: "End the war, hostage deal immediately" and "The kidnapped will not survive another winter in captivity."
According to a video clip circulating on social media, the demonstrators carried pictures of a number of Israeli prisoners in Gaza, and chanted slogans demanding an exchange agreement.
The families escalated their activities demanding an agreement after accusing Netanyahu of ignoring the prisoners in Gaza and continuing the war on the Strip.
The families expressed their surprise at Netanyahu's intention to reach a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and his refusal to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
The families of the prisoners said in a post on the X platform on Monday: “Last night, the Prime Minister held a discussion with government ministers and other ministers, along with the heads of the security services, regarding the broad outlines for the release of the kidnapped.”
She added, "The heads of the security services told Netanyahu in a clear and unambiguous manner: The time for the kidnapped is running out. It is time to make a deal and allow everyone to be released."
The families continued: “Hamas has been subdued and all of its leaders have been eliminated, including: (Yahya) Sinwar, (Mohammed) Deif, and (Ismail) Haniyeh. The Israeli army and the security establishment have achieved unprecedented military and security achievements, and they declare that we can return to Gaza if necessary.”
She believed that "there will be no victory for Israel and Hamas will not be defeated as long as it holds even one hostage in its hands, alive or dead."
The families again accused Netanyahu of obstructing an agreement.
She said: "Meanwhile, the headquarters of the families of the kidnapped ones expresses its astonishment at the depth of the ongoing campaign being carried out by those close to the Prime Minister to thwart the kidnapping deal and Israel's adherence to its duty to return the kidnapped ones."
"The serious acts attributed to the suspects in the case have serious implications for the demand for the return of all the kidnapped," the families added, referring to an accusation that an official in Netanyahu's office leaked documents with the aim of influencing public opinion that Hamas rejects the agreement.
On Sunday evening, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority expected that by next Thursday, an indictment would be filed against Eli Feldstein, the main suspect in the security leaks case in Netanyahu's office.
According to preliminary investigations, according to the authority, one of the documents that Feldstein leaked to foreign media is classified as “top secret,” with the aim of influencing Israeli public opinion, which is demanding a prisoner exchange deal with Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip.
Investigations revealed that Feldstein acted "illegally" after the killing of 6 Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip last August.
She pointed out that their killing sparked a wave of protests against Netanyahu's government, so Feldstein sought to change the public discourse by accusing the then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar of thwarting the potential deal and holding him responsible for the deaths of the prisoners.
At that time, Hamas announced that the six prisoners were killed by Israeli army fire, and repeatedly accused Netanyahu of thwarting efforts to reach a prisoner exchange and ceasefire agreement.
The families headquarters (as it calls itself) continued, "It adheres to its only demand, which is that the state must pay the required prices to return all the kidnapped, the living for rehabilitation, and the dead for burial in their homeland," it said.
"The kidnappers' time is running out. It's time to bring them home," she added.
Tel Aviv is holding no less than 9,500 Palestinians in its prisons, and estimates that there are 101 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, half of whom are believed to be dead, while Hamas has announced the killing of dozens of them in random Israeli raids.
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Families of Israeli prisoners demonstrate outside Netanyahu's home to demand exchange deal