Hostage family groups once opposed partial deals, but many now demand Israel accept a proposal to free just 10 hostages as a first step.

By World Israel News Staff

The mothers of Israeli soldiers kidnapped on October 7th are vowing to “intensify” their struggle to bring their sons home, announcing a national day of protest set for next Wednesday, September 3rd.

Vicky Cohen and Anat Angrest, whose sons Nimrod and Matan were abducted from their Gaza-adjacent bases nearly two years ago and have since remained in captivity, said they will lead a massive demonstration outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem next week.

Cohen urged Israelis “to deliver a clear message to the prime minister,” declaring: “We are taking to the streets together to ensure progress [towards a hostage deal] is made.”

“This is our moment of truth,” she continued. “We cannot reach the 700th day [after October 7th] without a deal [to free the captives]. Starting Wednesday, we will shake the country with one goal only: to end the war and bring all the kidnapped home.”

Angrest described the unbearable pain of waiting for her son’s return.

“I haven’t slept for almost two years since my son was kidnapped,” she said.

Directing her remarks at Netanyahu, she said, “You, the prime minister, and the cabinet ministers will also stop sleeping. It’s time for the citizens of Israel to go to Jerusalem.”

The announcement came as thousands of Israelis protested across the country on Tuesday, demanding an end to the Gaza war and a deal to secure the release of the approximately 20 living and 30 dead hostages still believed to be held in the Strip.

Hostage family groups have previously rejected partial agreements, insisting on all-or-nothing deals. But when Netanyahu recently said he would only pursue a comprehensive deal in the future, many families reversed course, now urging the government to accept a proposal that would free just 10 living captives.

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The Tikva Forum of Hostages’ Families greeted the news of renewed strikes in Gaza and said they approved of the government’s action.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Many hostage families and released captives reacted with dismay over Israel’s renewed military action in Gaza on Tuesday after the collapse of the hostage-release negotiations.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed their belief that a return to fighting would endanger the captives and characterized the breaking of the ceasefire as “the government’s decision to sacrifice the 59 captives left in Gaza.”

The Forum added, “Military pressure will lead to the killing of living hostages and the disappearance of the fallen.”

Released hostage Yair Horn expressed fear that his brother Eitan, still held in Gaza, would be endangered by Israeli strikes.

“My little brother Eitan was left behind in hell, and I feel as if one-third of myself was left behind. I feel that all the videos released recently, which you have also seen – of me and Eitan, of Matan Angrest, of Guy Gilboa Dalal and Evyatar David – all these videos that for us were signs of life, I hope they will not become our final farewell videos from them due to the return to fighting,” he pleaded.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the importance of returning the hostages, but given the breakdown in talks during the pause in fighting, he declared that “negotiations will take place under fire.”

“We resumed fighting with full force following the advice of security officials,” Netanyahu said.

“This is only the beginning. We will persist until we achieve the objectives of this war and ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel,” he added. “From this point forward, negotiations will only occur under fire.”

Netanyahu added that military action was necessary because weeks had passed with no additional hostages freed, given the impasse in the talks and Hamas’s refusal to agree to recent proposals.

The Tikva Forum of Hostages’ Families greeted the news of renewed strikes in Gaza and said they approved of the government’s action.

“The past weeks have proven what we have been saying all along – Hamas will never return all the hostages willingly,” the Forum declared in a statement titled “All or Hell.”

“Only massive military pressure, a complete blockade including cutting off electricity and water, and occupation of territories that will lead to Hamas’s collapse, will cause them to beg for a ceasefire and a deal that will return ALL the hostages together, in one stage.”

The group argued that, should strikes continue “with intensity and without interruption,” all hostages would return home “in one bus.”

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