Thousands demonstrate near Knesset for hostage release

Thousands of mainly women in Israel blocked an access road to the Israeli parliament or Knesset as they demonstrated on Friday for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to a story in the Jerusalem Post.

There have been weekly demonstrations demanding the hostages be released, but these normally occur on Saturday evening, after the Jewish holy day of Shabbat is over.

The Friday protests were organized by a group called Shift 101 that has been holding sit-in shifts across the road from the Knesset since Monday, the paper said.

They are organizing various shifts throughout the week to put pressure on the government to get the hostages out of Gaza. Some 250 were taken on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian Islamist Hamas militia and others invaded Israel and killed 1,200. According to estimates, about half of the approximately 100 remaining hostages are still alive.

“We, mothers and family members of hostages and hostages, call on mothers and fathers, women and men from all over the country to unite beyond disputes and polarization and join us for the most important cause of all – to contribute to the return of the hostages. We have hope,” a statement quoted in the paper said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reliant on his far-right and ultra-religious coalition partners for his political survival, who are against a deal with Hamas.