“Hostages are dying away”: Relatives of Gaza hostages paint their hands blood red – in protest against the lack of release. Desperation grows.
On the 200th day after their abduction from Israel to the Gaza Strip, relatives and supporters of more than 100 hostages drew attention to their fate with a protest in Tel Aviv. On Tuesday, in the square in front of the Habima National Theater, they lay on the ground in a formation and held up their hands painted blood red.
On the Jewish holiday of Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and their liberation from slavery, there will be no freedom for the hostages, the families said, according to the ynet news site. “The hostages are dying; according to estimates, less than half of them are still alive today.”
In the massacre by the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas and other extremist organizations in the Israeli border area on October 7th, more than 1,200 people were murdered and more than 250 others were abducted to the Gaza Strip. During a week-long ceasefire at the end of November, Hamas released 105 hostages. In return, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners from its prisons.
Among the remaining hostages there were twelve with German citizenship
In street protests, relatives have been calling on the government for months to make another deal with Hamas to quickly release the hostages. However, Hamas has so far rejected all proposals from international mediators. Relatives of those abducted also accuse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of standing in the way of a hostage deal.
According to the organization of the hostage families, twelve of the remaining hostages are of German nationality. The Foreign Office does not give a specific number, but assumes that there are a number in the low double-digit range who have both German and Israeli citizenship. According to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, this also includes a one-year-old baby.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
