Family members of Israelis who remain captive in Gaza are urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal that has been approved by Hamas, which mediator Qatar says is “almost identical” to a version previously approved by Israel.
While the exact details are unclear, the proposal, put forward by Qatar and Egypt, would involve the release of 10 living Israeli captives and a 60-day truce, during which the two sides would be expected to engage in negotiations for a long-term ceasefire.
“We won’t let [Netanyahu] thwart it this time,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is being held in Gaza, according to Haaretz. “The entire people of Israel won’t let you miss the last chance to bring back my Matan and all of the hostages – living and dead.”
According to Israeli media, Netanyahu has dismissed Hamas’s acceptance of the proposal, although reports on Tuesday said the Israeli government is examining it. Several Israeli officials have publicly rejected the idea of any kind of deal with Hamas, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and the government is preparing for a major escalation of its genocidal war that will involve taking over Gaza City and forcibly displacing more than 1 million Palestinian civilians to the south.
On Sunday, a significant number of Israelis held protests calling for a ceasefire deal, and another large demonstration is expected to happen this coming Sunday. Zangauker said that Israelis “must once again take to the streets, stop everything, demonstrate and protest.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Sunday that the protests will focus on calling for a comprehensive deal to free all 50 remaining Israeli captives, which includes only about 20 who are believed to be alive. “This is the last chance to sign an agreement for the return of the 50 hostages,” the group said.
While the hostage families want a peace deal to secure the remaining captives, President Trump is backing the Israeli government’s plans. The president claimed on Monday that the only way to free the hostages is if Hamas is “confronted and destroyed,” even though the vast majority of Israeli captives freed from Gaza were released by Hamas under ceasefire deals.
A group of freed Israeli hostages recently released a video urging Trump to stop Netanyahu’s assault on Gaza and reach a deal to free the remaining captives. Trump has the ability to end the genocide by leveraging military aid, which Israel relies on to sustain military operations in Gaza.
