Do not ‘sacrifice our loved ones': Hostage families set sail in protest of new Gaza occupation plan
In a powerful demonstration, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum sailed as close as possible to the Gaza shore today, demanding immediate government action to secure the release of the 50 remaining hostages held by Hamas for 22 months.
The families issued a direct plea to their loved ones in captivity and a stern warning to the Israeli government, urging them not to "sacrifice our 50 loved ones on the altar of war."
The flotilla departed from Ashkelon's port around 11 a.m. on Tuesday morning and concluded the sailing around 2 p.m. the same day.
The boats were covered in yellow flags, symbolic of the fight to bring the hostages back to Israel, as well as signs of the missing. Family members called for their loved ones through megaphones from Gaza's seaside.
At the closest point to Gaza's maritime border, the families' cries were heard: "Time is running out for the hostages". They referenced recent images, stating, "We have seen that they are skin and bones, we have witnessed a holocaust in living color - and we will not stand by.'
The forum's spokesperson emphasized the urgency, demanding a "comprehensive deal now that will bring them home.'
The families stated their intention was for the hostages themselves to hear their message of unwavering support. "We are fighting with all our strength and will not give up until they return," they called out.
'The nightmare affects 50 families directly, but also impacts all of Israel'
The forum highlighted the profound impact of the ongoing captivity, noting that the "nightmare affects 50 families directly, but also impacts all of Israel.' They stressed that Israel must not "lose our moral compass and values," and called on the public to "stand with us en masse.'
In their final message, the forum declared that finding a way forward must be the "top priority" to "return all 50 hostages immediately and end the war.'
This demonstration is not an isolated event, with families of the captives willing to explore every possible option in the hopes that the hostages might hear them.
On January 11, 2024, relatives of hostages gathered at Kibbutz Nirim, near the Gaza border, and used powerful loudspeakers to broadcast messages to their loved ones. This protest was part of a series of events as the hostages approached their 100th day in captivity.
The following summer, on August 28 of the same year, the Hostages Families Forum organized a convoy of vehicles from Tel Aviv to the Gaza border to call for a hostage deal. The families used giant speakers mounted on a crane near the border fence to call out to the captives. Some demonstrators also breached the border fence and ran into Gaza before returning at the request of security forces.
Now, nearly a year later, families have taken to a new method to call for the release of the hostages.
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