Hostages’ relatives throw paint in Knesset to mark grim milestone

Relatives of Israeli captives and activists hurl and smear paint in Knesset’s visitors gallery to mark 180 days in captivity.

By World Israel News Staff

A group of Israeli activists and relatives of hostages held by terrorists in the Gaza Strip held a demonstration inside of the Knesset Wednesday, smearing paint in the visitors gallery to protest the continued captivity of over 130 Israelis.

Roughly 20 demonstrators gathered in the Knesset plenum visitors gallery Wednesday afternoon, demanding the Israeli government secure the release of the 134 captives still held hostage in Gaza.

Wednesday marks the 180th day in captivity for those remaining captives taken hostage on October 7th.

As Knesset Members deliberated on climate change legislation, the protesters began splashing yellow paint on the windows which separate the visitors gallery from the Knesset plenum itself. Some of the protesters dipped their hands in yellow paint and smeared it on the windows.

Knesset ushers quickly intervened and removed the protesters from the visitors gallery

Several Opposition MKs raised their hands in solidarity with the demonstrators.

“Those of you who remain, from the families of the captives, standing there in the entrance [to the Knesset visitors gallery],” our hearts are with you, and we are with you, we will fight with you,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said from the Knesset plenum.

In response to the violent protests outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem Tuesday evening, Lapid called for police “to protect the protesters, they are the families of the captives, the captives whom you have abandoned,” while urging demonstrators to “obey the law.”

More than 240 hostages were taken captive on October 7th, with 112 returned to Israel since then, including 105 freed during a truce in the last week of November, three rescued by the IDF, and four more released by Hamas.

Of the remaining 134, 36 have been confirmed to be dead, while Israeli officials reportedly estimate that as few as 60 to 70 of the captives are still alive.