Hostage families vow to ‘bring the nation to a halt’ amid reports of discord in Security Cabinet

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Sunday announced its plans to hold dozens of protests across Israel on Sunday evening, following the recovery of the bodies of six hostages from the southern town of Rafah in Gaza on Saturday evening.

“The families of the abductees call on the general public to come to a huge demonstration in Tel Aviv at 19:00 and to dozens of local protests throughout the country,” the forum announced on 𝕏.

עוצרים את המדינה - סוף להפקרה!

לו''ז מתעדכן עם מיקומי המחאות: https://t.co/d2q5XWR7bd

משפחות החטופים קוראות לכלל הציבור להגיע להפגנת ענק בת''א ב19:00 ולעשרות המחאות המקומיות ברחבי הארץ.
אזרחי המדינה יצטרפו אל משפחות החטופים כדי למנוע את המשך הפקרת החטופים על ידי הקבינט שאיבד… pic.twitter.com/VZYJJlqaF1
— מטה המשפחות להחזרת החטופים והנעדרים (@BringThemHome23) September 1, 2024

“The citizens of the country will join the families of the hostages to prevent the continued abandonment of the hostages by the Cabinet, which has completely lost its moral and ethical path and prefers political interests over saving the lives of the hostages and the return of the victims and the murdered for burial in their country.”

Following the Forum's announcement, the Israel Business Forum, representing many private-sector workers from 200 of Israel's largest organizations, said it would support the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in its calls for a general strike.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum called for a general strike to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to assume responsibility for the deaths of six hostages, whose bodies were recovered on Saturday, and for the well-being of the remaining captives.

On Saturday night, before the identities of the bodies had been announced, the Forum released a statement.

“Netanyahu abandoned the hostages. It is now a fact. Starting tomorrow, the country will tremble. We call on the public to prepare. The country will grind to a halt. The abandonment is over.”

On Sunday morning, the organization published a schedule of protest locations.

Meanwhile, another hostage families group, called "Tikvah Forum," released a statement calling on Netanyahu to cease hostage negotiations and return to full war against Hamas.

“After the Abominable Cold-Blooded Murder, we demand that the Prime Minister announce the End of Negotiations Immediately and Increase the Fighting,” the group said.

The Tikva Forum, a Group of Hostage Families who say they are putting Country before their Loved Ones, have released a Statement regarding the recovery yesterday of Six Bodies belonging to Hostages in Southern Gaza, “After the Abominable Cold-Blooded Murder, we demand that the… pic.twitter.com/10pLe6Jk5X
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) September 1, 2024

On Sunday morning, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant took to 𝕏 to express his disagreement with Netanyahu over the hostage negotiations.

“The political-security cabinet must convene immediately and reverse the decision made on Thursday,” Gallant tweeted. “It's too late for the hostages who were murdered in cold blood. The hostages who remain in the captivity of Hamas must be returned home.”

The defense minister indicated that his desire to secure a hostage deal does not preclude Israel from seeking retribution against Hamas.

“The State of Israel will reckon with all the leaders and murderers of Hamas, down to the last one,” he wrote.

הקבינט המדיני-ביטחוני חייב להתכנס באופן מיידי ולהפוך את ההחלטה שהתקבלה ביום חמישי.

זה מאוחר עבור החטופים שנרצחו בדם קר. חייבים להשיב הביתה את החטופים שנותרו בשבי החמאס.

מדינת ישראל תבוא חשבון עם כל ראשי ומרצחי החמאס, עד האחרון שבהם.
— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) September 1, 2024

Gallant was alluding to the heated Security Cabinet discussion on Thursday evening, during which Netanyahu's proposal for maintaining an IDF presence in the Philadelphi Corridor was approved.

During the meeting, Gallant and Netanyahu repeatedly sparred over the issue of the Philadelphi Corridor, with both Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stating that the IDF is more than capable of dealing with a six-week withdrawal from the corridor for the sake of a hostage deal.

Gallant was the only minister to vote against it, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Geir abstained.

An unnamed minister told Ynet news: “This was the most intense argument I can recall between Netanyahu and Gallant.”

During the debate, Gallant reportedly asked Netanyahu: “What about when 30 lives are at stake? What do you do?”

Netanyahu allegedly responded: “I stay on the Philadelphi. Only resolute negotiations will force [Sinwar] to fold.”

“Netanyahu isolated Gallant completely, the minister told Ynet. “In situations like these, a defense minister may as well lay down his keys.״

In Hebrew media, a source close to Ben Gvir was cited as saying that the minister’s abstention was due to the proposal including a gradual decrease in the number of IDF soldiers in the Philadelphi Corridor as part of a hostage deal. Ben Gvir wants to maintain a full military presence there.