Thousands of women, especially in Israel, blocked the road leading to the Israeli parliament or Knesset as they demonstrated on Friday for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to a story in the Jerusalem Post.
There have been weekly protests demanding the release of the hostages, but these usually take place on Saturday evenings, after the end of the Jewish holy day of Shabbat.
Friday’s protests were organized by a group called Shift 101 that had been holding shifts across the street from the Knesset since Monday, the newspaper said.
They are planning different shifts throughout the week to put pressure on the government to release the hostages from Gaza. About 250 were taken on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian Islamist militants Hamas and others attacked Israel and killed 1,200. According to estimates, about half of the approximately 100 remaining captives are still alive.
“We, mothers and family members of kidnappers and hostages, are asking mothers and fathers, women and men from all over the country to unite without conflict and division and join us for the most important reason of all – to contribute to the return of hostages. We are hopeful,” said a statement quoted in the paper.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is relying on his right-wing and ultra-religious coalition partners for political survival, who oppose the deal with Hamas.
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