At protest, hostage families denounce Netanyahu speech: no confirmation of deal to free captives

Families of the hostages held by the Hamas terror group expressed bitter disappointment at a rally in Tel Aviv that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not announce a deal to free their loved ones during his speech to Congress.

“This evening, as the prime minister delivered his speech to Congress, thousands of supporters gathered in Hostages Square. They came to watch the broadcast of the speech and hear addresses from family members of the hostages, hoping to hear the prime minister utter the crucial words: ‘There’s a deal,'” says a statement from the Hostages Families Forum.

“Benjamin Netanyahu, I expected, hoped, wished that you would open your speech with ‘We have a signed deal.’ But again and again, you’re not doing what you should have done 292 days ago – bring your citizens home,” says Nissan Kalderon, brother of Ofer Kalderon.

“A leader must know when to stop everything and do just one thing – bring everyone back immediately,” he says, urging the prime minister to ignore “considerations related to your political survival.”