Tue Mar 18 11:03:38 UTC 2025: ## Israeli Hostage Families Demand End to Military Strikes, Immediate Return of Captives
**JERUSALEM** – Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza are demanding an immediate halt to Israeli military operations in the territory, accusing the government of jeopardizing their loved ones’ lives. In a statement released Tuesday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum announced plans for a protest outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, following unanswered pleas for a meeting with top officials.
The families, who claim their requests for meetings with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and the head of the negotiation team have been ignored, allege the government’s decision to launch the deadliest strikes since a January ceasefire was made without regard for the hostages’ safety. Their primary demand is the immediate return of all hostages, stating unequivocally, “Stop the killing and disappearance of the hostages now! First, return them — then everything else.”
Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas’s October 2023 attack, 58 remain in Gaza, with the Israeli military declaring 34 of them dead. The families contend that the government’s continued military actions are putting the remaining hostages at further risk. Israel, however, has vowed to continue its offensive until all hostages are returned. The families’ protest underscores the growing tension and desperation as the situation in Gaza continues to escalate.
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