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JERUSALEM: The families of Israeli hostages and thousands of supporters marched toward Jerusalem on Friday, increasing pressure on the government to secure the captives’ release nearly six weeks after Hamas militants abducted them and took them into Gaza.
The procession left Tel Aviv three days ago. Police blocked off parts of the main highway as the marchers began to ascend the foothills leading to Jerusalem.
They held up pictures of their loved ones, waved Israeli flags, and chanted “We won’t give up, we demand the hostages’ release!“
Hamas fighters took around 240 people hostage during their Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. The captives — ranging from babies to grandparents — are believed to be held in tunnels deep under the Gaza Strip.
Israeli and Arabic media have reported on negotiations to secure the release of at least some of the hostages, but there has been no confirmation from any side of an imminent deal.
“Hear our shout. Bring them back home now,” said Yuval Haran, who walked with a placard showing seven members of his family who were taken hostage, including his three-year-old niece.
“How can you put a price on a three-year old girl? We need them back now, at any price.”
The German ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, met up with the marchers and called for the unconditional release of the hostages.
“We work for this on all political and diplomatic levels and we just ask you to keep the hope alive,” he said, speaking through a megaphone. “In our hearts and our minds we are with you.”
At one point cabinet minister Miki Zohar, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, showed up and was largely met by jeers, with the crowd yelling “Shame!” and “Take responsibility!“
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy to come here. I knew I would get yelled at,” he said during a conversation with some of the marchers. “But it doesn’t matter. I came here to tell you, as clearly as possible, that we will do everything — everything — to bring everyone home.”
The families and their supporters say they will end the march of about 60 km (37 miles) on Saturday in front of Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem.