Hamas has unveiled a video on Saturday showcasing two hostages who are still alive while reviewing Israel’s most recent ceasefire proposal, likely aiming to intensify pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt a major offensive that could escalate the conflict in Gaza.
Israel’s proposal for a ceasefire, in return for the hostages’ release, is a response to the group’s stance conveyed to mediators on April 13, as stated by senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya. He mentioned that the group will provide a response once they have thoroughly examined it, without specifying a particular timeframe.
Recently, the US and 17 other countries have urged Hamas to release all hostages, including their own citizens detained in Gaza, to revive stalled negotiations and secure additional humanitarian assistance for the coastal region. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the US, the EU, and other nations.
Netanyahu is under mounting pressure to reach a truce with Hamas, particularly due to international apprehensions regarding his intentions to launch an offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza, where a million refugees are seeking refuge.
Israel has long indicated its plans to conduct a ground operation in Rafah to achieve its objective of dismantling Hamas. Israeli military officials estimate that 5,000 to 8,000 Hamas fighters, along with some of its leaders, are currently based there, constituting the group’s final line of defense.
Internal protests within Israel concerning the hostages’ fate are escalating, especially following Hamas’s release of a recent video featuring a 23-year-old US-Israeli citizen, whose mother has been actively campaigning for the detainees’ release.
This has led to calls for Netanyahu’s resignation, with many criticizing the prime minister for prolonging the conflict to retain power despite his failure to prevent Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7.
A large crowd assembled in downtown Tel Aviv on Saturday night, with many relatives of Gaza prisoners calling for a prisoner exchange and prompt elections.
“Netanyahu is too focused on power – he needs to step down,” stated protester Evyatar Gol in an interview with Bloomberg News.
Yair Lapid, the ex-prime minister and current opposition leader, also participated in the demonstration. “Netanyahu, the majority of the Israeli population supports a resolution,” he declared on X, previously known as Twitter.
