Latest news with #YairHorn
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tel Aviv protesters call for hostage release after 600 days in Gaza
Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to demand an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages still held by Palestinian militant group Hamas, marking 600 days since their abduction. Crowds assembled at Hostages Square in the centre of the city to draw attention to the fate of the hostages. "Tonight we count 600 days without you. And you are counting the seconds – nearly 52 million seconds," said the mother of hostage Alon Ohel in a speech. Former hostages shared accounts of their time in captivity. "In the tunnels, you don't know if a terrorist will get up one morning and shoot you, or if a bomb will destroy the tunnel where you're sleeping," said Yair Horn, who was freed in February. His brother Eitan is still held captive. Ahead of the demonstration, chaotic scenes unfolded between protesters and police. According to Israeli news portal ynet, about 20 people were detained after occupying the headquarters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and blocking nearby streets. The war in Gaza was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by militants from Hamas and other groups on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. There are still 58 hostages in the Gaza Strip, the majority of whom are no longer alive.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"End This": Thousands Rally In Israel On 600th Day Of War
Tel Aviv: Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to support hostages still held in Gaza on the 600th day since the war began, urging a ceasefire to secure their release. Signs reading "The people with the hostages" were held aloft the packed crowd in the plaza dubbed Hostages Square after darkness fell over the Israeli coastal city. The meeting point has held regular rallies for the release of hostages since they were seized during Hamas's attack on Israel that triggered the war on October 7, 2023. "It's been more than 100 days since I was forced to leave my brother behind. As long as Eitan and the other hostages are not back, I am still in captivity," said Yair Horn, who was freed in February but whose brother is still held in Gaza. "You brought me home, do it again, end this war and bring back the 58 hostages," he added in a plea to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government ended the truce in mid-March and has escalated the military offensive in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas and free the hostages. Hundreds of people gathered at intersections and on the main highway running through Tel Aviv at 6:29 am, the exact time the unprecedented October 7 attack began. Signs bearing the number 600 were placed along roads and demonstrations were held throughout the day. - 'Everything to bring us back' - Several hundred people gathered at kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, where nearly a quarter of residents were killed or taken hostage. "During the first days of captivity, I was convinced that (the army) and the State of Israel would do everything to bring us back in a few hours, at most a few days," said Karina Engel-Bart, whose husband was killed in the Hamas attack and is still in Gaza. "But I was wrong... there are still 58 of them in Gaza and they must be released now," she added. Engel-Bart was herself held hostage with her two daughters before all three were released during the first truce in the war at the end of November 2023. Situated near the border with Gaza, Nir Oz still has 14 of its residents held in the Palestinian territory, three of whom are believed to be alive. On the lawn of the kibbutz, former hostages, relatives of captives and residents mingled with people from across the country. While there were no placards, the yellow ribbons now associated with the hostages were seen on T-shirts and on the stage where speakers took turns addressing the crowd. Out of 251 hostages seized during the Hamas attack, 57 remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Hamas also holds the body of a soldier taken captive in a 2014 war.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Thousands rally in Israel for Gaza hostages on 600th day of war
Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to support hostages still held in Gaza on the 600th day since the war began, urging a ceasefire to secure their release. Signs reading "The people with the hostages" were held aloft the packed crowd in the plaza dubbed Hostages Square after darkness fell over the Israeli coastal city. The meeting point has held regular rallies for the release of hostages since they were seized during Hamas's attack on Israel that triggered the war on October 7, 2023. "It's been more than 100 days since I was forced to leave my brother behind. As long as Eitan and the other hostages are not back, I am still in captivity," said Yair Horn, who was freed in February but whose brother is still held in Gaza. "You brought me home, do it again, end this war and bring back the 58 hostages," he added in a plea to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government ended the truce in mid-March and has escalated the military offensive in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas and free the hostages. Hundreds of people gathered at intersections and on the main highway running through Tel Aviv at 6:29 am, the exact time the unprecedented October 7 attack began. Signs bearing the number 600 were placed along roads and demonstrations were held throughout the day. - 'Everything to bring us back' - Several hundred people gathered at kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, where nearly a quarter of residents were killed or taken hostage. "During the first days of captivity, I was convinced that (the army) and the State of Israel would do everything to bring us back in a few hours, at most a few days," said Karina Engel-Bart, whose husband was killed in the Hamas attack and is still in Gaza. "But I was wrong... there are still 58 of them in Gaza and they must be released now," she added. Engel-Bart was herself held hostage with her two daughters before all three were released during the first truce in the war at the end of November 2023. Situated near the border with Gaza, Nir Oz still has 14 of its residents held in the Palestinian territory, three of whom are believed to be alive. On the lawn of the kibbutz, former hostages, relatives of captives and residents mingled with people from across the country. While there were no placards, the yellow ribbons now associated with the hostages were seen on T-shirts and on the stage where speakers took turns addressing the crowd. Out of 251 hostages seized during the Hamas attack, 57 remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Hamas also holds the body of a soldier taken captive in a 2014 war. mib-acc/dv
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Thousands rally in Israel for Gaza hostages on 600th day of war
Signs reading "The people with the hostages" were held aloft the packed crowd in the plaza dubbed Hostages Square after darkness fell over the Israeli coastal city. The meeting point has held regular rallies for the release of hostages since they were seized during Hamas's attack on Israel that triggered the war on October 7, 2023. "It's been more than 100 days since I was forced to leave my brother behind. As long as Eitan and the other hostages are not back, I am still in captivity," said Yair Horn, who was freed in February but whose brother is still held in Gaza. "You brought me home, do it again, end this war and bring back the 58 hostages," he added in a plea to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government ended the truce in mid-March and has escalated the military offensive in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas and free the hostages. Hundreds of people gathered at intersections and on the main highway running through Tel Aviv at 6:29 am, the exact time the unprecedented October 7 attack began. Signs bearing the number 600 were placed along roads and demonstrations were held throughout the day. 'Everything to bring us back' Several hundred people gathered at kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, where nearly a quarter of residents were killed or taken hostage. "During the first days of captivity, I was convinced that (the army) and the State of Israel would do everything to bring us back in a few hours, at most a few days," said Karina Engel-Bart, whose husband was killed in the Hamas attack and is still in Gaza. "But I was wrong... there are still 58 of them in Gaza and they must be released now," she added. Engel-Bart was herself held hostage with her two daughters before all three were released during the first truce in the war at the end of November 2023. Situated near the border with Gaza, Nir Oz still has 14 of its residents held in the Palestinian territory, three of whom are believed to be alive. On the lawn of the kibbutz, former hostages, relatives of captives and residents mingled with people from across the country. While there were no placards, the yellow ribbons now associated with the hostages were seen on T-shirts and on the stage where speakers took turns addressing the crowd. Out of 251 hostages seized during the Hamas attack, 57 remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Hamas also holds the body of a soldier taken captive in a 2014 war.
Arab News
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Israel says ‘will not be deterred' after Hamas issues hostage video
The three-minute video shows the emotional farewell between Israeli-Argentinian Yair Horn and his brother EitanIn the video, Eitan Horn relays a message from Hamas urging the Israeli government to 'sign the second phase of the (ceasefire) deal and return us home'JERUSALEM: The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed as 'Hamas propaganda' Saturday footage released by the Palestinian militant group showing what appeared to be Israeli hostages in Gaza.'The Hamas terrorist organization has, this evening, disseminated another cruel propaganda video in which our hostages are forced to engage in psychological warfare,' Netanyahu's office release of the footage by Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, came as the first stage of the Gaza ceasefire which took effect on January 19 was due to expire on Saturday with no clarity about what happens three-minute video shows the emotional farewell between Israeli-Argentinian Yair Horn and his brother Eitan, suggesting that it was filmed shortly before Yair's release on February the video, Eitan Horn relays a message from Hamas urging the Israeli government to 'sign the second phase of the (ceasefire) deal and return us home.''Get everyone out and do not separate families,' he footage is accompanied by a message from Hamas reading: 'Only a ceasefire agreement brings them back alive.'It is followed by ticking sounds and an image of an egg timer with the message: 'Time is running out.'In a statement after the video's release, Netanyahu's office said: 'Israel will not be deterred by Hamas propaganda.'We will continue to act relentlessly for the return of all of our hostages and until all objectives of the war are met.'The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli group that campaigns for the release of all captives from Gaza, said the Horn family had given its permission for the footage of the two brothers to be published.'It breaks our heart to see Eitan in this difficult situation, saying goodbye to his brother, (Y)air, who is being freed while Eitan remains held in Hamas hell for 512 days now,' the Horn family said in a statement.'We demand from the decision-makers: Look Eitan in the eyes. Don't stop the agreement that has already brought dozens of hostages back to us. They are running out of time! Bring everyone home, now, in one phase.'Hamas has offered to release all remaining hostages in one go in a second phase of the ceasefire. Israel has called for releases to continue in batches in an extension of the first stage of the ceasefire that has been rejected by the militant group.
