For nearly a year, Israeli families of hostages in Hamas captivity have spearheaded demonstrations, saturated national and global news outlets, and pleaded with Israeli premier Binyamin Netanyahu to negotiate a settlement ensuring a safe return for their kin, even if that meant putting an end to the conflict with Hamas. However, their endeavour has been unsuccessful to date.
Tensions heightened on Sunday when word emerged that another six hostages – part of the 240 abducted by Hamas during an attack on Israel the previous October, which claimed about 1,200 lives according to Israeli counts – had been located deceased in a tunnel below Gaza. They had apparently been recently executed by their kidnappers a mere kilometre away from Israeli soldiers, sparking fresh waves of public indignation across Israel.
Much of this fury was focused on Netanyahu. By the time Sunday drew to a close, scores of Israelis flooded the streets of Tel Aviv, insisting that Netanyahu yield and consent to an agreement that could result in the hostages’ liberation in return for a sustainable ceasefire and the release of an ample number of Palestinian inmates.
On Monday morning, the country experienced a widespread strike reflecting the nation’s split sentiment. An influential trade union succumbed to demands made by the hostages’ families and closed its operations. This led to Ben Gurion international airport suspending flights while educational institutes, shopping centres and seaports also closed down.
However, the public’s grief-infused fury also highlighted the deep divisions within the country. Hard-liners allied to Netanyahu, including finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, criticised demonstrators and union chiefs for “making [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar’s vision come true”. Some rightist municipalities and settlements expressed their reluctance to participate in the strike.
The divide continues to grow, driven by the fear that the window of opportunity for saving the remaining 101 hostages is rapidly closing. Israeli authorities have already assumed that at least 35 among them have deceased.
The family members of hostages are progressively growing impatient and frustrated with Netanyahu. Jonathan Dekel-Chen, who is the father of 35-year-old Sagui, one of the hostages taken on October 7th from a kibbutz, voiced his fears that all the hostages will perish in Hamas captivity if the Israeli government does not give an unequivocal agreement. “The only plausible explanation for Netanyahu’s refusal of the deal is his own political agenda and the desire to maintain power,” he suggested.
Far-right ministers, including Smotrich, repeatedly warned that Netanyahu’s government could face a collapse if he agrees to a deal directly linked to a comprehensive ceasefire. They argued for increased military pressure on Hamas to liberate the hostages. Up to this point, however, the Israeli military has only managed to free eight out of an estimated 240 hostages taken on October 7th, with three tragically killed in error.
In November, a negotiated exchange led to the liberation of 105 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners during a transitory ceasefire, which also saw a wave of humanitarian aid enter the besieged area. Hamas attributes this and other previous hostage causalities to Israeli air strikes and Netanyahu’s stubbornness.
Hamas remains firm on its principal demand for a full ceasefire preceding any comprehensive hostage release, including Israeli soldiers. This demand was reiterated last Sunday. However, negotiations for a second hostage release in exchange for prisoners have been elusive, even with US, Egyptian, and Qatari intervention to get both parties to agree on a US-endorsed proposal in mid-August.
The absence of advancement in negotiations has initiated a cycle of public finger-pointing, polarising Israeli politics and infuriating mediators. Negotiations have seemingly reached an impasse due to Hamas’s insistence on confirmation that a durable ceasefire and a total withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza will follow the hostage release. Conversely, Netanyahu insists that the Israeli military should retain control of the Gaza-Egypt border.
An advocacy group, the Hostage and Missing Families forum expressed that the postponement in finalising the deal has directly resulted in recent hostage deaths and many others before them. They implored Netanyahu to stop evading the issue and provide a satisfactory explanation for the ongoing neglect.
It’s uncertain if the recent outburst of public indignation will create enough governmental strain to prompt Netanyahu into reconsidering his stance. Most Israelis have shown support for a brokered agreement with Hamas for the release of the captives, as indicated by various opinion polls. Nonetheless, the recurrent demonstrations in Tel Aviv haven’t galvanised into a significant nationwide movement.
The ambiance seemed to be fluctuating on Sunday with increasing protest numbers and extensive demands from the media and opposing politicians for Netanyahu’s capitulation.
Notwithstanding, Netanyahu, who holds the record for being Israel’s longest-serving leader, has previously survived larger, enduring protests. Dahlia Scheindlin, an expert poll analyst who’s been closely tracking the protest movement, suggested it’s uncertain whether public opinion can influence Netanyahu. Still, she contends that a universal strike, combined with key social and political figures pushing the society to a halt, could feasibly prompt a policy shift.
In response to criticism that his conditions regarding the Egypt-Gaza boundary have obstructed a potential agreement, Netanyahu defended his position, stating that Hamas hadn’t been open to serious talks for several months. He defended that Israel agreed to an updated outline for the US-endorsed agreement, an offer officially declined by Hamas.
Just lately, while we’ve been in high-level discussions with the intermediary, extremely hoping to secure a deal, Hamas have remained inflexible, refusing to accept any proposals, claimed Netanyahu. In an even more troubling event, they killed six of our hostages while these discussions were ongoing.
Contrarily, certain undisclosed sources suggest otherwise to Israel’s Channel 12 news, infuriating many hostages’ families. They’ve consistently cautioned that Netanyahu has been stalling agreement to preserve his coalition. The outlet reported a conflict between Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, over cabinet discussions on Thursday, when Gallant opposed Netanyahu’s insistence on maintaining Israeli forces along the Egypt-Gaza border, a move that potentially jeopardizes the hostage release talks.
Gallant asserted that the cabinet must urgently assemble to reverse Thursday’s decision. Unfortunately, it’s too late for the hostages mercilessly killed.
Over 40,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have perished following the October 7th attack by Hamas, cite local health officials, while considerable portions of Gaza Strip have been destroyed by the Israeli military.
The conflict has initiated a swiftly escalating humanitarian tragedy, characterised by severe famine, proliferating illnesses, and movement of the majority of the 2.3m civilians in the territory into United Nations refuge areas and expansive camps of tents. – The Financial Times 2024.