Hostage families march on Jerusalem as Gaza truce talks appear to be stalling after recent optimism

Thousands joined the families of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza as they marched on the capital of Jerusalem on Saturday evening, demanding the government to reach a deal that would see their loved ones freed – even at the price of an end to the war.

The four-day march was set to end with a large demonstration at the Prime Minister’s residence, while hundreds of protests were being held around the country.

Einav Zangauker, mother of Israeli hostage Matan, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, told the crowd, “We’re seeing more and more reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to sabotage the deal. He adds demands that could cost Matan his life, he adds demands that could cost the lives of other hostages.”

As news of the IDF's attempts to kill top Hamas commander Deif reached the marchers, Zangauker told Channel 12 News: “If Mohammed Deif was eliminated with a hostage deal on the table, and Netanyahu doesn’t get up now and say he’s willing to take the deal, even at the price of ending the war, that means he’s given up on my Matan, and on the rest of the hostages.”

Many of the marchers were outraged at Netanyahu who, in recent days, hardened his public comments on the ongoing negotiations that were being seen with considerably more optimism than the previous rounds, after Hamas reportedly made large concessions enabling the talks to progress.

Now, Arab mediators from Egypt and Qatar, as well as Hamas officials, said the progress was slowing and the prime minister’s red lines, coupled with intensified military pressure by the IDF in Gaza, were endangering the talks.

According to the Axios news outlet, U.S. and Israeli intelligence showed that the combination of military and diplomatic pressure was instrumental in bringing Hamas back to the negotiating table, even causing senior Hamas commanders in Gaza to signal to their counterparts in Hamas’ political wing in Qatar that they needed a ceasefire.

After an initial brief statement last Sunday, Netanyahu on Thursday reiterated four major red lines regarding the negotiations during his public address at an IDF officer's course ceremony.

The prime minister emphasized that the return of 135 hostages, so far, was only achieved due to “a combination of military pressure and diplomatic pressure, and standing steadfast on our principles. Without the military pressure, we would not have the necessary intelligence for the operations we have carried out.”

“Without the military pressure and standing steadfast on our demands, we could not have reached the first release – and only with this pressure and this stand will we reach the second release,” he added.

On Friday, Netanyahu’s office also firmly denied reports that Israel was ready to vacate the Philadelphi Corridor, calling them “absolute fake news.” Egypt reportedly insists that Israel vacate the area that has served as Hamas' main weapons smuggling corridor for years.

“The Prime Minister insists that Israel remain on the Philadelphi Corridor. He has instructed the negotiating teams accordingly, made this clear to US representatives this week, and updated the Security Cabinet to this effect last night.”

In response to Netanyahu’s comments, as well as media reports that cited sources saying they could block a potential deal, the Hostage Families Forum on Friday stated it was “shocked by the irresponsible conduct" that could lead to a "missed opportunity that may never return. It’s now or never.”

However, security officials appeared to support the prime minister on the issue, despite fears that Hamas could use the toughening Israeli language as a pretext to pull out of the negotiations.

“Netanyahu gave these tough demands because he is trying to use Hamas’ weakness to get as much as he can out of the negotiations. But there is a risk that he will go too far and the negotiations collapse,” an Israeli official told Axios.

Mossad Director David Barnea, who is leading the Israeli negotiating team – and is not recognized as a supporter of Netanyahu – underscored: “Without the clauses Prime Minister Netanyahu insists on, we will not be able to renew the war, and without that, we will not win or retrieve all the hostages. This is what is necessary for the benefit of the State of Israel.”

“Without the work of the IDF and the force we are applying in Gaza, we would achieve nothing. The more aggressively the IDF operates in Gaza, the more successful we will be in the negotiations. We need to increase the pressure in Gaza,” he added, according to Ynet News.

Meanwhile, hostage release negotiations continued this past week, with a Wednesday meeting in Doha attended by Barnea, CIA Director William Burns, and representatives from Qatar and Egypt. On Thursday, U.S. envoy Brett McGurk joined another meeting in Cairo.

Before Netanyahu's comments and reports of the Israeli strike targeting Mohammed Deif, Israeli and U.S. officials continued to express cautious optimism about the talks.

A senior Israeli official told Axios that the talks in Qatar clarified certain sticking points but didn't close all remaining gaps. The Times of Israel cited an Israeli official saying an agreement was still about two to three weeks away.

In May, U.S. President Joe Biden presented an outline that serves as the basis for the current talks. During a press conference on Thursday, he expressed cautious optimism about the progress being made.

“These are difficult, complex issues,” Biden said. “There are still gaps to close, but we’re making progress. The trend is positive, and I’m determined to get this deal done and bring an end to this war, which should end now.”

Biden added a rare statement, noting that the U.S. would be ready to support Israel going after senior Hamas officials, even after a truce was signed.

“There’s no need to occupy anywhere. Go after the people who did the job… Don’t think that’s what you should be doing, doubling down. We’ll help you find the bad guys – Sinwar and company,” he said.