Families of hostages march for four days to demand their freedom

Tel Aviv: The families of hostages held in Gaza and their supporters have started a four-day march from southern Israel to Jerusalem to demand their loved ones be set free.

The march comes as negotiations are underway in Qatar to bring about a new deal between Hamas and Israel that would lead to a ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages. US President Joe Biden has said such a deal was at hand, but officials from Israel and Hamas were sceptical of his optimism.

Negotiators from the US, Egypt and Qatar are working in Paris on a framework deal under which Hamas would free some of the dozens of hostages it holds in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a six-week halt in fighting. During the temporary pause, negotiations would continue over the release of the remaining hostages.

Hostages freed in a late-November deal, some of whom still have relatives held in Gaza, joined the march, which will end near the official residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the weekend.

In its October 7 attack on southern Israel, Hamas abducted roughly 250 people, according to Israeli authorities, including men, women and children. Roughly 100 were freed about 50 days into their captivity. Some 130 hostages remain, and Israel says about a quarter of them are dead. Some 1200 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas attack.

While Netanyahu’s popularity has plummeted because of the military and intelligence failings that enabled Hamas’ incursion, he has a strong parliamentary majority and the next polls aren’t scheduled until 2026, Bloomberg reported.

But the plight of the hostages has deeply shaken Israelis, who see in them an enduring symbol of the state’s failure to protect its citizens from Hamas’ assault.

The subsequent Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe and sparked global concern over the situation in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost town along the border with Egypt, where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought safety from Israel’s daily bombardments. Israel has indicated Rafah is next in its crosshairs.

Nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish in its count between fighters and noncombatants. Israel says it has killed 10,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The emir of Qatar spoke in Paris of “a race against time” to secure hostage releases as part of the diplomatic push for a ceasefire.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who was attending a dinner in his honour hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, noted that their two countries were working intensely on Gaza diplomacy but also spoke about the mounting casualties.

“The world sees a genocide of the Palestinian people. Hunger, forced displacement, savage bombardments are used as weapons. And the international community still hasn’t managed to adopt a unified position to end the war in Gaza and provide the strict minimum of protection for children, women and civilians,” the Qatari leader said, speaking through a translator.

South Africa accuses Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians, and has filed a case at the United Nations’ top court, the International Court of Justice. Israel adamantly denies the genocide allegations and says it is carrying out operations in accordance with international law.

“We are in a race against time to bring the hostages back to their families and at the same time we must work to put an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people,” Thani said.

Meanwhile, five organisations supporting the families of those held hostage have been awarded Israel’s prestigious 2024 Genesis prize.

The $US1 million ($1.5 million) award is usually given to a person for their professional achievements, contributions to humanity and commitment to Jewish values.

“The purpose of this year’s award is not to influence policy, but to raise international awareness of the plight of the hostages and provide humanitarian assistance focused on recovery, rehabilitation, and treatment,” said Stan Polovets, a co-founder of the prize.

The recipients include the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a grassroots group that sprung up following the October 7 attack to advocate for the return of the abductees.

Prize money will also go to the Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror; Lev Echad; Natal-The Israel Trauma and Resiliency Centre; and OneFamily.

AP