Families of Israeli hostages and thousands of their supporters arrived in Jerusalem on Saturday at the end of a five-day march to confront the government regarding the plight of the prisoners held by Hamas in Gaza. Naom Alon (25), holding a picture of his kidnapped girlfriend Inbar, stated that around 20,000 people, including supporters who joined the march along the main highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, want to pressure the government "to do everything it can to bring back the hostages." He added, "We expect them to meet with us, and we expect them to tell us how they will do that... We can't wait any longer, so we demand that they do it now, and pay any price to bring back the hostages."
It is believed that about 240 individuals, including children, the elderly, and foreign citizens, are being held in Gaza after being taken hostage by Hamas. Many relatives and friends of the missing fear for their safety in the Israeli attacks on Gaza aimed at eliminating Hamas. The government claims that the offensive improves the chances of recovering the hostages, possibly through prisoner exchanges via mediation. Artist Sharon Lifshitz, who lives in London and whose 83-year-old father was kidnapped, stated, "I feel that people think there is time, but for children and elderly persons with complex needs, there is no time; time is running out quickly."
Many Israelis blame their government for being caught off guard by the Hamas attack. Among those who participated in the march to Jerusalem was opposition leader Yair Lapid, a centrist who supports the war but calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. MK Miki Zohar, a member of Netanyahu's government, faced harassment on Friday when he visited the marchers during a rest stop. Hamas, which threatened in the early days of the war to execute hostages in response to Israeli airstrikes, stated that some hostages were killed in the attacks on Gaza. This has raised concerns among activists and relatives who are urging the Israeli government to expedite any prisoner exchange, in addition to frustration over Netanyahu's insistence on maintaining confidentiality regarding negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt.
Activist Stevie Kerem remarked, "It’s impossible that there are 240 hostages and our government is not talking to (the relatives) or telling them what is happening, what is on the table, what is being offered, and what the reasons are... nothing." Despite the signs of exhaustion and frustration, one participant in the march expressed a degree of optimism.
