Members of families of hostages held for 106 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza camped outside the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the affluent town of Caesarea overnight and were joined on Saturday morning by hundreds of supporters who called on the prime minister to act immediately to secure the release of the 136 Israelis who are still being held hostage.
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"We spent the night here and continue our protest in demand that the government agree to agreements offered and secure the immediate release of all those held by Hamas," Gilad Korngold, father of 38-year-old Tal, who was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri, said.
"Every day another hostage is either killed or murdered and it is imperative that they be returned now. Netanyahu must make that call. We will not be polite any longer. There will be no one left to return, unless things change."
Udi Goren, whose relative Tal Chaimi was killed and whose body is being held by Hamas said Israel must decide to make a deal. "If there is no deal on offer, come out and tell us that you are sacrificing the lives of our loved ones. This is a waste of time," he said.
"We've been begging you for the past 106 days and now we are demanding. Stop the execution of hostages. They are out of time," the organization of families said in a statement addressed to Netanyahu.
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Families of hostages camp out outside Prime Minister Netanyahu's Caesarea home
(Photo: Alexandre Meneghini / Reuters)
"The war cabinet must not miss an opportunity to reach an agreement to release all of those being held. We are here outside the prime minister's home and will remain until he comes out and commits to us that he would lead an international conference with the participation of all nations involved in the crisis to reach its solution and bring the hostages home."
The families were joined by anti-government activists who had been advocating for the end of Netanyahu's rule before the outbreak of the war. Many families of hostages have distanced themselves from the protests, arguing that some elements have weaponized their loved ones' captivity as a means to achieve a political end.