From the Liveblog of
Monday, November 6, 2023
Hundreds of family members of Gaza hostages hold protest outside Knesset
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Hundreds of family members and friends of the at least 240 Hamas hostages gather outside the Knesset, calling on the government to do whatever it takes to free the captives.
“They’re not just numbers, they’re family,” says Nir Meir, secretary general of the kibbutz movement. “Dozens are my friends. There’s no way to come to peace with this.”
“Netanyahu, grow some balls and be like Golda,” adds Meir, referring to former prime minister Golda Meir.
Other speakers include Yamit Ashkenazi, sister to Doron Steinbrecher, both from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Ashkenazi’s sister Doron was taken captive from her sealed room on the kibbutz, as she tried to hold off terrorists by blocking her door with a couch.
“We’ve paid enough!” says Ashkenazi, as the crowd bursts into shouts of “Now! Now! Now!”
“This is the last place I want to be,” says Yuval Haran, whose mother, Shoshan Haran, was abducted along with six other members of his family, while his father, aunt and uncle were killed. “I’m not a strategist but my family is there, in Hamas’s hands for a full month and the only legitimate action is to bring them home.”
