Protests and actions calling for the IDF to invade Rafah have been ramping up as media is reporting that Hamas is close to accepting a hostage deal spread over the weekend.
Families of soldiers who have fallen in the Israel-Hamas war who were joined by additional protesters marched from their tent near the Knesset to the Prime Minister’s Office, where they blocked an entrance Sunday morning and demanded an invasion of Rafah, according to the Valor Forum, which organized the march.
They were joined outside the PMO by numerous ministers reiterating their demands, including National Missions Minister Orit Strock, Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Smotrich addressed the prime minister and other ministers in Israel’s war cabinet at the protest, calling on them to immediately renew Israel’s military action in Gaza with full force, saying that the public will not allow them to throw victory down the drain.
Saturday night, the Hope Forum, representing some family members of hostages who support increased military pressure against Hamas, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign if he cannot “take the pressure and order the IDF to win.”
The forum criticized ongoing talks with Hamas, saying that “Disgracefully, in addition to fading on the battlefield in the past few months, there is negotiation with sub-humans who slaughtered us.”
Anticipated positive response from Hamas is meaningless
The forum went on to say that the anticipated positive response from Hamas is meaningless and is causing the prime minister to delay conquering Rafah and rescuing the loved ones of the forum’s members.
The forum added that they hold Netanyahu responsible for actions to save their families and that waiting for an answer from Hamas is a “humiliation of the Jewish people.”
This is the first time the Hope Forum has called for the resignation of the prime minister if he does not act, and in this call, they join another contingent of hostage families who have already been calling for Netanyahu’s resignation for a few weeks, saying that he is blocking a deal that would bring the hostages home.
Sunday’s march followed a similar protest led by the Valor Forum Saturday night, following Saturday’s reports that Hamas will likely accept a hostage deal in the coming days.
“Talk of surrendering to Hamas has brought families of the fallen from the entire Israeli spectrum out to the streets to demand that the war go on,” said the Valor Forum.
The forum wanted to make clear to members of Israel’s government that they “don’t have a mandate to give in to Hamas. Our children did not fall for nothing.”