Families accuse Netanyahu of not bringing Israeli prisoners back alive

The families of Israeli prisoners held in the Gaza Strip accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to bring their relatives home alive.

The Hostage and Missing Persons Families Forum on Sunday blamed Netanyahu's government for blocking an agreement with Hamas that could have secured the release of the prisoners.

Her statement came after the Israeli military announced that it had recovered the bodies of six Israeli prisoners from Gaza overnight.

All six were alive when they were arrested by Hamas and other Palestinian groups on October 7.

The exact circumstances of her death were not immediately clear.

While Hamas had previously stated that over 70 Israeli prisoners had been killed in Israeli air strikes, the Israeli military said all six prisoners had been “brutally murdered.”

“For 11 months, the Israeli government under Netanyahu has failed to do what is expected of a government: bring its sons and daughters home,” said a statement from the forum, which represents the relatives of many of the prisoners.

“A deal to release the hostages has been on the table for over two months. Without his thwarting, the excuses and the manipulation, the hostages whose deaths we learned of this morning would probably still be alive.”

In recent weeks, the Israeli military has recovered more and more bodies of prisoners from Gaza, deepening the anger of families who have been demanding a deal for months.

“Netanyahu has abandoned the hostages. That is now a fact”

– The forum for hostages and missing families

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has led demonstrations demanding a ceasefire agreement with Hamas that would see all Israeli prisoners exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas blamed Netanyahu and the United States for the deaths of the six prisoners, saying they were blocking an agreement the group had already agreed to on July 2.

Netanyahu said in a statement that Israel remains committed to the agreement and accused Hamas of blocking it.

Sunday's announcement sparked strong reactions throughout Israel.

The Hostage and Missing Persons Families Forum has vowed to bring the country to a standstill, and calls for a general strike are growing louder.

“Netanyahu has abandoned the hostages. This is now a fact. Starting tomorrow, the country will tremble. We call on the public to prepare. The country will come to a standstill. The abandonment is over,” it was said at the forum.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid supported the call for a general strike.

“I urge every citizen who is heartbroken this morning to come at 7 a.m.[pm] Start [road in Tel Aviv] to demonstrate with us,” Lapid said.

Yoav Gallant, defense minister and member of Netanyahu's Likud party, called on the prime minister in a statement to reach an agreement with Hamas to secure the release of the prisoners still alive.

“It is too late for the kidnapped people who were murdered in cold blood. The kidnapped people who are still in Hamas captivity must return home,” he said.

Ron Huldai, the mayor of Tel Aviv, announced on the social media platform X that his municipality would join a nationwide strike on Monday.

“Tomorrow there will be no reception for the public from morning until noon and we will allow all employees to go out and support the families' struggle,” he said.