Raz Ben-Ami, a freed hostage who was released from Hamas captivity 54 days ago, is urging the government to strike a deal with Hamas that would free the 134 remaining captives they are holding in the Gaza Strip.
“They [the hostages] won’t last there, no one can survive what they go through there. Believe me,” says Ben-Ami at the weekly Hostages and Missing Families forum protest in Tel Aviv’s Hostages’ Square.
“Mr. Prime Minister, on behalf of the abductees, in the name of the people of Israel, give the negotiators in Qatar the order: We will not return without a deal.”
Shira Albag, the mother of hostage Liri Albag, is calling on protesters to take up the struggle “against indifference, and in support of life.”
“It’s been 176 days that I haven’t turned a blind eye to the thoughts and fear of what Liri and the other abductees are going through,” she says.
“The people of Israel won’t forget or forgive anyone who prevents a deal that would bring them [the hostages] back to us. After 176 days, 4,224 hours, the excuses have run out,” she continues.
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