Families of Israeli Soldiers Held in Gaza: Authorities Scared Us

Families of Israelis held captive in Gaza have been raising their voice against the Zionist government in efforts to release them. Family members of captive soldiers are set to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, for the first time since they were captured on October 7 during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

Ahead of the meeting, the families held a press conference at the Israeli occupation military recruiting offices near Tel Aviv, calling on the government to reach an agreement to secure the release of all of the 130 Israelis still being held in Gaza.

A mother of an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian resistance fighters on Oct. 7 called on Netanyahu to shoulder responsibility and bring her son back.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu, the responsibility to bring our sons home is yours,” says Orna Neutra, mother of Omer Neutra, 22, who was serving as a tank commander near Gaza during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

Another woman, a mother of another Israeli captive, revealed that the occupation authorities had requested that the families stay silent.

“At the request of the state and the security forces we stayed silent until today. They scared us,” said Anat Angrest, as quoted by The Times of Israel.

“Today we understand that as the number of days of silence grows, the number of boys who return home alive decreases.”

“For six months, we’ve known that our children are suffering and we have no way to help them,” Angrest continued. “We don’t even know if they’re still alive, if they’re surviving hell.”

“Why is the government agreeing to put their heroes last? Are they less important than the others?” she asked.