One day in late July, as the Israeli government discussed an expansion of military operations in Gaza, a group of people, relatives of the hostages taken by Hamas from southern Israel during the attacks of October 7, 2023, gathered near the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem. Many wore the yellow ribbon that represents the ordeal of the captives and carried placards bearing the faces of those still being held. They urged the authorities to reconsider the plans and repeated demands for a deal with Hamas to release the hostages and end the war.
Many of those families have accused Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, of prolonging the conflict for political purposes. Netanyahu relies on the support of ultranationalist ministers who openly call for Gaza to be settled with Jews. They have threatened to quit his coalition if there is an agreement to end the war, which could lead to the collapse of the government.
