TEL AVIV: The families of 229 hostages seized by Hamas stepped up calls on Saturday (Oct 28) for Israel’s government to outline plans for their rescue as troops expanded a devastating assault on the war-torn Gaza Strip.
As Israel intensified its overnight bombardment, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main group representing those abducted by militants in the Oct 7 attacks, sought an immediate meeting with ministers.
With the families expressing anger over “absolute uncertainty regarding the fate of the hostages held, who were also subject to the heavy bombings”, hundreds gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday, threatening to stage street protests if there was no response,
“The families don’t sleep, they want answers, they deserve answers,” said Haim Rubinstein, 35, a spokesperson at the event.
Hostage families say they have had little to no contact with officials and have been left with excruciating uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.
“We don’t know anything about what happened to them. We don’t know if they were shot, if they saw a doctor, if they have food,” said Inbal Zach, 38, whose cousin of Tal Shoham was kidnapped from kibbutz Be’eri with six other family members.
“We are just so worried about them.”