Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 08.02.2024
It seems that there are at least two groups of the families of the Israeli captives in Gaza. The first one by the far right has been blocking the humanitarian aid trucks to the starving people of Gaza and by doing so are acting against their own relatives and in the service of Netanyahu and the fascists in his government.
The second one is the families who understand that the continuation of the war on the Palestinians of Gaza is killing not only the Palestinians but their own relatives. Yesterday six of the women who were captives in Gaza and released held a press conference and said the following:
“Adina Moshe addressed Netanyahu and said, “If you continue in this line of destroying Hamas, there will be no hostages left to save. Also, among the young ones.”
“Sharon Aloni-Kunyo, 34, from kibbutz Nir Oz, who was released with her two three-year-old daughters, Yuli and Emma, from captivity, is still waiting for her husband, David, to return. She said, “136 hostages are waiting without oxygen, food, or hope to be saved,” adding, “The price is high, but abandoning the hostages is a historical stain.”
Nili Margalit, 41, from Nir Oz, the nurse who spent her time in captivity aiding fellow hostages, said, “If they don’t return home, everyone will know that they live in a country that is not committed to their security; that solidarity is dead.
Sahar Kalderon, 16, from Nir Oz, said, “I’ll do everything for my father to come home,” adding, “One hour there is hell. My soul was murdered. Everyone there is murdered every day.”I had to be quiet and wait for someone to take me out of his nightmare.”The only thing I asked was where is my government. But what about my father?” [1]
Netanyahu who wants to keep the genocide going and the captives are no mor than
thorns in the neck said: “Hamas’s insistence on a prolonged pause to the war, a permanent ceasefire, and a complete IDF withdrawal from the enclave doused optimism that the release of the captives was around the corner. Surrendering to the delusional demands of Hamas will not lead to the release of the hostages. It will only invite another massacre” [2]
While for the first group we feel only destain, we support Hamas demands the end of the war and the Zionist army out of Gaza, Only the Palestinians will decide who will rule in Gaza and in Palestine as a whole. Hopefully a section of the Israelis will understand that the only solution is one Palestinian state from the river to the sea with equal civil rights.
Knowing that the Zionist army is killing many Israeli captive in Gaza 20-25%, half of the Israelis think that bringing back the hostages is the priority while Netanyahu and Galant and with them the supporters of the far right think that destroying Hamas is the priority even if it will take years and will never happen.
“Nearly half (47%) of Israeli residents believe returning the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7th is the highest priority of Israel’s war against Hamas – whereas 42% of Israelis said that toppling Hamas’ grip over the Gaza Strip should be Israel’s main priority, a poll published Tuesday by the Israeli Democracy Institute (IDI) discovered.
The 47% to 42% split is divided further based on demographics, with 53% of female respondents saying that releasing hostages is the most important factor in the war compared to 40% of male respondents. 69% of Arab-Israelis said bringing the hostages home should be the main goal, versus a tiny minority (8%) who prioritize toppling Hamas. A sizable 23% of Arab Israelis say they don’t know.
Responses to the question of what Israel’s main goal of the war should be were further divided on political lines. For example, 71% of respondents who identify with Israel’s Labor party said the primary goal should be retrieving hostages, while 20% of Labor party supporters said the primary factor of the war should be to defeat Hamas militarily. Conversely, 77% of Religious Zionism supporters said defeating Hamas should be Israel’s primary goal, compared to 19% who said saving Israeli hostages superseded the need to defeat Hamas” [3]
End the war!
Netanyahu Galant and Halevi are war criminals!
For Palestine red and free from the river to the sea!
Endnotes:
[1] https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-785713
[2] https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-785705
[3] https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-785550