The Hostage Families Headquarters released a special statement today (Wednesday), urging protesters to remain calm while expressing appreciation for the hundreds of thousands of supporters taking to the streets. In their statement, they emphasized the importance of continuing the fight to bring back the hostages while avoiding violence or damage to public property.
The headquarters appealed to all supporters across the country to avoid any provocation or descent into violence. Specifically, they condemned any harm to police forces or vandalism of public property, understanding that violence could divert attention from the primary goal—bringing the hostages home.
The statement read: “The Hostage Families Headquarters calls on all supporters across the country to show restraint, avoid any provocation or descent into violence, and condemns any harm to police officers or vandalism of public property.”
Alongside the call for restraint, the headquarters expressed deep appreciation for the hundreds of thousands of citizens taking to the streets across the country. They noted that “the cry to stop the abandonment and execution of the hostages held by Hamas is heard from every street, every square, every intersection, from the south to the north of the country.”
The headquarters did not shy away from criticizing the government, accusing it of abandoning the hostages and sabotaging deals to return them, specifically blaming the Prime Minister. They emphasized that attention must not be diverted from the fate of the hostages.
At the end of the statement, the headquarters called on every citizen and media outlet in Israel to focus on one central question: “Why are they still in Gaza?” This question, they said, should be at the heart of the public discourse during these days.
The families’ statement reflects the tension between the desire to continue applying public pressure and the fear of escalation that could harm efforts to bring back the hostages. It underscores the need to maintain the focus of the struggle while avoiding actions that could undermine the primary goal.
