Holding pictures of their loved ones, families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza marked 500 days of captivity on Monday, urging authorities to secure their release.
Dozens of demonstrators were seen marching to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, chanting slogans and carrying banners that read “Home Now”, before meeting lawmakers in parliament.
“My eyes burn from the tears I have shed for the past 500 days,” said Einav Tzangauker, whose son Matan is among those still held captive since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war.
Addressing lawmakers, she pleaded with them to “do everything possible to bring my son Matan and the other hostages home alive”.
In December, Hamas released a video of her son, who was abducted along with his partner from their home in Nir Oz kibbutz during the deadly Hamas attack.
Shimon Or, whose nephew Avinatan was seized from the Nova music festival that day, told lawmakers he believed Hamas “will never release all the hostages”.
“I am angry because this ceasefire agreement, which only allows for the partial release of hostages, puts the lives of those still in Gaza at risk,” Or said.
‘Unimaginable suffering’
Israel and Hamas are implementing the first stage of a ceasefire agreement brokered after months of mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
The ceasefire, which took effect on January 19, has largely halted fighting in Gaza and led to the release of 19 Israeli hostages in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinians in Israeli custody.
In total, 33 Israeli hostages, including eight who are dead, are set for release during the ongoing first phase of the deal in exchange for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
Lawmaker Yossi Taieb, during a separate parliamentary session on Monday, said: “The State of Israel must get them out of this hell. It is our moral duty.”
“Our brothers and sisters have been in captivity, in hell, for 500 days. We think of them every moment,” Taieb said.
Later on Monday, rallies marking the 500th day of the hostages’ captivity are scheduled to take place in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Relatives of some hostages gathered in parliament, holding up pictures of those still held in Gaza — 70 out of 251 people abducted during the 2023 attack.
As each name was read out, the group chanted “now”, before singing the national anthem.
Israeli campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum encouraged people to observe a 500-minute fast on Monday in solidarity with the hostages.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who on Monday met with recently released captive Ohad Ben Ami, said he wanted all hostages to return home “as soon as possible”.
“On this 500th day, we must remember and remind the world… of the unimaginable suffering of our brothers and sisters in Gaza,” Herzog said in a statement.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has facilitated the hostage-prisoner exchanges, on Monday called for all to be released in a post on X.
“The ICRC remains committed to supporting the ceasefire agreement to bring more hostages back to their loved ones,” it said.
