Israeli hostage protests continue under fire: 365 terrible days

Families, friends, and thousands upon thousands of Israelis determined to see the return of the hostages are continuing to protest as much as they can under wartime restrictions. The rallies had reached hundreds of thousands, the largest protests ever seen in Israel’s history. However, now the maximum number that can congregate has been limited to 2000 following Homefront Command restrictions as the risk of incoming rockets has increased.

Israel is currently in the period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the ten days between the Jewish new year and Day of Atonement known as “the days of awe”, or the “terrible days” (“yamim noraim”). Banners declaring “365 Terrible Days” mark the fact that a year has gone by since 251 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza, 97 of whom are still held in captivity along with another two Israeli citizens who have been held captive even before October 7. Rallies were held in multiple cities throughout Israel, and those protesting made no secret of the fact that they blame Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

There is distrust concerning the government’s failure to reach a deal, with accusations of ulterior motives on the part of the prime minister. Omri Lifschitz, son of hostage Oded Lifschitz, 84, made clear that he holds Netanyahu responsible, believing he has spurned deals in order to stay in power. Referring to the next elections to be held in three years’ time, he promised to protest without ceasing:

“As long as Netanyahu is in power, we will also mark three years of their captivity, if any of them last that long,” he said. He accused Netanyahu of sabotaging deals on the table with “criminal moves” and “lying spin” regarding the condition of maintaining Israeli presence in the Philadelphi Corridor. Lifschitz asserted that the need for Israeli presence along the Gaza-Egypt border “has been refuted over and over again by members of the security establishment.”

Danny Elgarat, whose brother Itzik, 70, is among the hostages said, “This was a full year in which those kidnapped became hostages of the war for Netanyahu’s personal survival. A full year, in which Netanyahu torpedoed deals that were on the table. A full year in which 101 citizens were abandoned by him, and are still held in the tunnels of death, and Netanyahu not only doesn’t take responsibility, he chooses deliberately to abandon them, and to try to make us forget them.” 

The government has assured some of the hostage families that there will be a renewed effort to secure a hostage deal once the situation in Lebanon is less intense, but many remain skeptical. Referring to the tragic lapse in security on October 7, Einav Zangauker, mother of Matan, 25, said, “We don’t believe this government. It’s been a year since the failure, and today it’s clear that Netanyahu doesn’t want to return the hostages. Even if the war in the north ends, Netanyahu wants the war in the south to continue.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a statement, reported in the Jerusalem Post as saying, "There will be no victory or rehabilitation without the return of all the hostages home. We will not rest until each and every one of them returns home - the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for a proper burial in their own country. The State of Israel must act immediately, without delay." 

As much of the focus is now being directed to containing Hezbollah in the north, the statement urged, "The hostages do not have time for calm in the north. As we have unfortunately come to know - they not only suffer, they are also murdered."

"Every day in Hamas hell is an eternity in which the hostages are in immediate danger of death. How is it possible to know where every senior or junior member of Hezbollah is, but there is no idea where the hostages have been kept in Gaza for 365 days?"