Protesters demand Netanyahu to close a deal on hostages on Saturday

Aug. 31 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Relatives of hostages and protesters against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have taken to the streets of major Israeli cities on Saturday to demand an agreement for the release of hostages kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.

The largest demonstration was once again in Tel Aviv, where the mother of hostage Tsahi Idan, Devorah Idan, recalled that after 330 days of kidnapping “we are still in the same nightmare of massacre and pogrom.” Another relative, Michel Illouz, father of Guy Illouz, killed at the Supernova music festival and taken dead to Gaza, reminded Netanyahu that there can be no victory over Hamas unless the hostages return.

“Without them, society will break up, our best brains will leave,” he warned, before calling the prime minister a “state saboteur.” “He was scared that he would lose his job and we are paying the price,” he said.

During the protest there were clashes with mounted police and two people were arrested. The sister of one of the hostages, Natalie Atedgi, was injured and had to be taken to hospital after a clash with a mounted policeman.

Protesters have blocked the Ayalon highway again despite the presence of police and far-right counter-demonstrators. Police have cleared the road and made several arrests.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid has also accused Netanyahu of prioritizing his political survival “while our sons and daughters die in captivity” in relation to the announcement made this Saturday by the Israeli Armed Forces about the discovery of several bodies, possibly of hostages, in the Gaza Strip.

“He is not interested in the Philadelphia corridor or polio vaccines. He is interested only in the coalition and in pleasing (Bezalel) Smotrich and (Itamar) Ben Gvir. In this process, he is crushing the families and the nation of Israel,” he said.