Families of Israeli captives press regime to initiate a prisoner deal
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Families and relatives of captives expressed anguish over the emotional unpreparedness of receiving further captives in coffins.
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Ruby Chen, center, father of Israeli captive Itay Chen, 19, held by Hamas, holds an hourglass during a rally calling for the return of the captives, in "Tel Aviv", occupier Palestine, Dec. 16, 2023 (AP)
Families of Israeli captives issued a desperate plea to the Israeli government on Saturday, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to promptly renew negotiations for a new prisoner swap deal.
In a poignant statement, the families highlighted the critical nature of every passing moment, expressing their deep concern for the lives of captives.
Having witnessed the arrival of three captives in coffins earlier in the day, they underscored that the authorities show no concern for the secure release of captives, potentially leading to additional casualties.
They called on the regime to promptly draft a deal and initiate negotiations rather than wait for action on the part of the Palestinian resistance.
They also expressed anguish over the emotional unpreparedness of receiving further captives in coffins.
Read more: Amid surging 'friendly fire' reports, IOF 'mistakenly' kill 3 captives
Thousands of Israeli captives' families protested on Friday in "Kaplan" Street, now known as the "Hostages Square" in "Tel Aviv", demanding that their government renew negotiations for a new prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance, according to Israeli media.
The demonstrators started their protest at the entrance to the Ministry of Security and the General Staff Headquarters in "Tel Aviv," blocking roads following the announcement.
The protest was sparked by news of the killing of three Israeli captives by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
A spokesman for the IOF said that they were killed "mistakenly," noting that "they're all without shirts and they have a stick with a white cloth on it. The soldier feels threatened and opens fire. He declares that they're terrorists, they (forces) open fire, two are killed immediately."
He added that the third captive was wounded and went back into a nearby building to call for help in Hebrew.
Read more: Mossad head expected to meet Qatar PM to resume swap deal talks: Axios
Earlier in the day, the resistance released a video titled 'Time is Running Out,' showcasing scenes of Israeli captives who were killed due to Israeli shelling. The footage suggests that time is running out for the IOF to secure the release of still-living captives held by the resistance in Gaza.
Al-Qassam Brigades also published an image of an Israeli captive released earlier during exchange operations, presenting a stark choice: "in coffins or alive!"
Al-Qassam Brigades:
— AoR News 🇵🇸🇱🇧🇸🇾🇮🇶🇮🇷🇾🇪 (@AoR3138) December 16, 2023
Time is running out pic.twitter.com/lOo2XckQU0
Military spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades Abu Obeida accused the IOF of deliberately executing three captives, opting to kill them instead of releasing them, in what he described as a desperate attempt to rid itself of the burden of this longstanding issue.
