Protesters Demand Hostage Release as Israel Recovers Bodies of Six Captives
Protesters in Tel Aviv demand hostage release and ceasefire as Israel recovers bodies of six captives from Gaza. Tensions rise amid ongoing conflict and negotiations.
HASSAN BENYOUB 
Tel Aviv, Israel - Tensions ran high at a protest in Tel Aviv on Thursday as demonstrators called for an agreement to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The protest came in the wake of news that the bodies of six captives had been recovered earlier this week.
The tragic fate of these hostages has raised fears that other Israeli captives may not be recovered alive. "We must bring back those we know are alive," Daniel, a 48-year-old protester, told CNN. He added that continuing the war while negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release fail "will only bring more coffins to them and us."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that initial forensic tests suggested the six hostages had been shot, but did not determine if gunshot wounds were the cause of death. The IDF emphasized that these findings were preliminary.
The recovery of the bodies has renewed urgency for a ceasefire among protesters in Tel Aviv. Omer, 46, who attended the demonstration with his two daughters, said he believed the six hostages "could have been saved much earlier." He accused the Israeli government of repeatedly stalling on signing a deal with Hamas, which he says would only lead Israel to pay a higher price for an agreement that could have been reached earlier.
A ceasefire would also bring relief to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in the besieged enclave as Israel continues its military operation. The United Nations estimated in July that up to 1.9 million people in the Gaza Strip have been displaced, almost the entire population of Gaza.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing the families of Israeli hostages, stated on Thursday that the forensic tests revealing gunshot wounds were "further proof of the cruelty of the terrorists" who held them captive. The Forum also reiterated its criticisms of Israeli authorities, stating that the recovery of the bodies "is not a success."
"It's proof of the total failure to reach an agreement in time, as six hostages who were supposed to return alive have returned in coffins," the Forum said.
Currently, 109 Israeli hostages are still in Gaza, 36 of whom are believed to be dead, according to data from the Israeli government press office.
The situation continues to be a source of intense debate and emotion in Israel, with many calling for increased efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages and bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
