Hostages’ families ask army to resist Gaza takeover plan, urge protest outside decisive meet

The mother of hostage Matan Zangauker calls for Israelis to protest outside a cabinet meeting scheduled for tonight where the country’s political leaders are expected to approve a plan expanding military operations in the Strip, saying Israel is reaching “the point of no return” for a hostage release deal.

Einav Zangauker says on X that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised her he would pursue a deal to free the hostages, “but took advantage of my pain, of the families, of the whole hurt nation [and] killed the deal.”

“Someone who talks about a comprehensive deal doesn’t go and conquer the Strip and put hostages and soldiers in danger,” she writes.

“Netanyahu and his partners are about to condemn [Matan] to death,” she adds in a video statement, calling for protesters to “flood the streets of the nation starting tonight.”

In a separate statement, the Hostage Families Forum urges IDF chief Eyal Zamir to stand up against the plan, but stops short of joining Zangauker’s call for protests.

“Chief of staff, we are asking you to stand strong. You are the supreme commander. Don’t consent to endanger our loved ones,” it says in a statement.

The group says public sentiment supports a deal that will free all 50 hostages, including at least 28 thought to have been killed. “Any other decision will be clearly inhumane and spell disaster for the hostages and the whole of Israel,” the group says.

“The families of the hostages call on IDF commanders at all levels not to act in a way that will endanger hostages’ lives and block the possibility of the return of the bodies,” the statement reads.

The security cabinet is expected to convene at 6 p.m. tonight to decide on the plan, which would aim to bring most of the Strip under IDF control, dismantling Hamas and pressuring it to return the hostages, after talks for a deal broke down last month.

The military has warned such a move would endanger hostages’ lives.