Mass protests: ‘I am enraged that the hostages are pawns in Netanyahu’s games’

Last Sunday, tens of thousands of Israelis came out in Jerusalem to call for a return of the 134 hostages still held in captivity in Gaza and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation.  It was the largest protest since the massacre of October 7, which put an end to nine months of protesting against the government’s judicial overhaul.

The demonstration kicked off three days of protests, rallies and activities in Jerusalem, including hundreds of tents in the Sachar Garden near the Knesset and the government offices.

As the week winds down, it has become clear that the protest movement has significantly changed, in both composition and tone.

Sunday’s demonstration marked the official merger of two camps, the camp of families of the hostages and the broader anti-government camp. Although there has been some overlap between the two, formally they had kept themselves separate, but in mid-March, the family members closed down the so-called Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where they have held vigils since mid-October.

“Many of the families didn’t want to become ‘political’,” a public relations professional who has worked with the hostage families’ advocacy group told The Jewish Independent.  “They wanted to direct all their attention to bringing their loved ones home. They were afraid if they became partisan, they would lose public support and would anger the government, and the hostages would pay the price.”

But as the war drags on, and the appalling situation of the hostages becomes clearer, both the public and the families are increasingly blaming the government for the non-return of the hostages. According to a poll published in early March, fully 45% of Israelis believe that Netanyahu is deliberately holding back on a deal to release the hostages in order to appease his extreme right ministers and constituent base; in a previous poll,  53% said they believe he is primarily motivated by personal interest, and only 33% said he is acting for the good of the country.