Relatives and supporters of those kidnapped Oct. 7 in Israel turned their weekly protest into a somber vigil Saturday, remembering a hostage whose body was recovered this week in Gaza and whose plight angered thousands at a nearby anti-government demonstration.
The Israeli army announced on Saturday that it recovered the body of Elad Katzir, 47, in Khan Yunis and repatriated him. The Islamic Jihad militant group took Mr. Katzir from Kibbutz Nir Oz. He had appeared twice on video during his captivity and died in January at the hands of his captors, according to the Israeli military, a claim that could not be verified.
The news came on the eve of the war’s six-month anniversary on Sunday, when thousands are expected to gather in Israel for more protests.
“For six months we were in a nightmare,” said Esther Buchstab, the mother of Yagev Buchstab, 34, who was taken from Kibbutz Nirim on October 7, speaking at a vigil in Tel Aviv on Saturday night in Israel. He added, “We demand that the state do everything to reach an agreement, to bring back the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for burial.”
Nearby, in Democracy Square, thousands of anti-government protesters called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring home the more than 130 hostages still missing after October 7.
As the demonstration ended, a car drove through the crowd of protesters in violation of police orders, injuring several people, according to a police statement on Telegram. It was unclear why the driver drove the car into the crowd, but the driver ignored police orders to stop and passengers in the car can be seen shouting at protesters in the video posted on social media.
“The destruction of Hamas and ‘total victory’ are meaningless slogans,” said Eran Herkevi, 66, an agricultural expert. “There is real pressure to bring back the remaining hostages, otherwise the public will never be able to recover as a society.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Sarit Perl, 65, a retiree and mother of three combat soldiers who are all on their second round of deployments. He called for Mr. Netanyahu to be impeached and for new elections to be held to replace him.
“I’m here today because there are three things that need to happen now: impeachment, return all the hostages and hold elections,” he said.
Ms Perl criticized Mr Netanyahu, who faces growing calls for an election and whose home in Jerusalem has been the site of frequent protests, including earlier this week.
“Netanyahu has never served as prime minister,” Ms Pearl said. “But now he appears to be acting to deliberately destroy the chances of reaching a deal, and nothing in Israel will ever recover as long as he remains in place.”
Sahar Shapira, 42, said the death of the hostage, Mr Katzir, underlined the urgent need for a deal to return the hostages. “It is clear to people that the hostages cannot survive,” he said, predicting that “many others like him will return in a similar fashion.”
In an interview with The New York Times in 2009, after Palestinian rocket attacks led to a deadly three-week Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza, Mr. Katzir told a reporter that he had a nagging feeling. “I don’t feel any victory,” Mr Katzir said at the time, when the fighting had ended in a shaky ceasefire. “I still don’t feel safe.”
News of Mr Katzir’s death has fueled tensions in Israel. In a statement announcing the vigil on Saturday, representatives of the hostages’ relatives called on Israelis to gather in Jerusalem on Sunday for a rally marking the six months of the war.
The families of the abductees hold rallies in a public square near Israel’s headquarters in Tel Aviv every Saturday to press the government for a deal to return their relatives. The rallies have often converged with anti-government protests.
Israeli officials are meeting with representatives from Egypt, Qatar and the United States in Cairo on Sunday to begin talks on a hostage deal that has been stalled for months. President Biden is pushing the participants to reach an agreement that will lead to an “immediate ceasefire” and the return of the hostages.
Noam Perry, daughter of Chaim Perry, 79, who was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz and whom Hamas claimed in December was among five hostages killed in Gaza in an Israeli airstrike, demanded action from the Israeli government. “Mr. Prime Minister, members of the Cabinet, this is up to you!” he said, adding, “Don’t go back without a deal!”
