Israeli Hostage Family Members Arrested After Locking Themselves in Cages In Tel Aviv

They want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a hostage deal

Relatives of hostages held in Gaza locked themselves in cages in Tel Aviv Wednesday to draw attention to hostages still being held by Hamas.

They are calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a hostage deal.

At least four protesters were arrested in the demonstration outside the Kirya military headquarters, the Times of Israel reported.

The protest came after the apparent collapse of talks in Qatar for a temporary truce and the release of the hostages, according to the Associated Press.

More than 100 people seized by Hamas gunmen on Oct. 7 remain as captives in Gaza.

Two of the protesters arrested were reportedly relatives of nine-year-old Ohad Munder-Zichri, who was snatched from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his mother and grandparents.

Israeli police had called the protest illegal but allowed to to continue due to "required sensitivity".

In a statement they said they stepped in when "some of the protestors decided to go down to Ayalon Highway and block traffic, endangering motorists and themselves, and blatantly disrupting public order."

The protest came as one of the former hostages went public with her story of being sexually assaulted while in captivity.

Amit Soussana, a 40-year-old Israeli lawyer, said members of the Palestinian militant group sexually assaulted her during her 55-day captivity.

Soussana detailed to the New York Times that the abuse began just days after Hamas took her prisoner.

The United Nations Security Council on Monday demanded an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The resolution also demanded the release of all Israeli hostages, the Associated Press reported.

The vote passed on Monday morning after the United States abstained.

Netanyahu had blasted the resolution and the United States for not vetoing it. He said the resolution had emboldened Hamas and he vowed to press ahead with the war.

Tags
Israel, Hamas
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