Families of Hamas Captives Protest Netanyahu’s Handling of Hostage Crisis on Israeli Memorial Day
HAVANA TIMES – Protests in Israel against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet are continuing as Israel marks its first Memorial Day since the October 7 attacks. Earlier today, relatives of dead soldiers heckled Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as he spoke at a military cemetery. On Saturday, relatives of hostages held in Gaza staged another protest in Tel Aviv. Naama Weinberg is the cousin of Itay Svirsky, who reportedly died in captivity.
Naama Weinberg: “It is because of Netanyahu that there is no hostage release deal and there are no hostages being brought back home. He is abandoning our families to their death for his own political interests. Entering Rafah and expanding the operations there both hinder the hostages release negotiation and put the hostages’ lives in grave danger. So long as Netanyahu is in power, the hostages will not return. He does not want them to return.”
Also on Monday:
Israeli Whistleblowers Describe Torture of Gazan Detainees in Military Camp
Three Israeli whistleblowers who worked at a military detention camp in the Negev Desert have detailed to CNN the horrific abuse faced by Gazans detained since October 7. One whistleblower shared photographs that show Palestinians being strapped down, blindfolded and held in diapers at the site. Doctors have been forced to amputate the limbs of some prisoners due to injuries sustained from constant handcuffing. One whistleblower said they beat Palestinians not to gather intelligence, but out of revenge.