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JERUSALEM: The households of Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas on Tuesday (April 2) blasted their nation’s chief as a “traitor” as anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war grew within the fourth consecutive night time of mass protests.
1000’s gathered in entrance of the nation’s parliament, with hostage households and former prime minister Ehud Barak blaming Netanyahu for the October 7 “catastrophe” and demanding an election.
“You’re a pharaoh, a slayer of firstborns — 240 have been kidnapped in your watch — it is your fault,” declared Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is likely one of the 134 nonetheless being held in Gaza by the Islamist militants.
“You failed on October 7 in each attainable means,” she declared, and now “you might be an impediment to a hostage deal”.
Hostage households are livid at Netanyahu, whom they are saying has not likely pushed to have them freed.
They’ve allied themselves with anti-government protesters who marched for 9 months final yr to thwart his controversial judicial reforms that they are saying threatened democracy.
At Tuesday’s rally in entrance of parliament, a number of the households accused Israel’s longest serving chief of making an attempt to make use of the struggle to lengthen his maintain on energy.
Merav Svirsky, who misplaced each her dad and mom within the Hamas assault, and whose brother was later murdered in Gaza, mentioned Netanyahu is in no hurry to free the hostages.
STANDOFF OUTSIDE PM’S HOME
“The fundamental responsibility of the state is to make sure the return of the kidnapped. I used to be naive, I did not realise that our prime minister will not be eager about bringing them again due to political concerns,” she mentioned.
Former premier Barak mentioned if Netanyahu launches a floor offensive on Rafah, the “hostages will return in coffins. The one who deserted them on October 7 is now sacrificing them on the altar of absolute victory.”
He referred to as for snap elections, saying “the person accountable” for the calamity ought to be “faraway from the steering wheel”.
Zangauker mentioned Netanyahu had tried to blacken the hostage households for protesting whereas the nation was at struggle.
“You name us traitors when you’re the traitor, a traitor to your individuals, to the State of Israel.”
Some 3,000 of the protesters later marched to Netanyahu’s dwelling to shout slogans demanding he resign, with police saying some “rioters” tried to tear away boundaries exterior. Mounted officers charged into the group to cease them breaking by.
Hamas militants seized about 250 hostages on October 7, of whom 33 are presumed lifeless.
Israel has been traumatised by the unprecedented Hamas assault that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, principally civilians, in line with an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Its retaliatory marketing campaign has killed at the least 32,916 individuals, principally ladies and kids, in line with the well being ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
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