Wilfried Devillers // credits: ISRAELI ARMY / AFP
modified to
8:45 a.m., December 2, 2023
Fighting resumed Friday between Hamas and Israel. 136 hostages are still in the hands of the terrorists. Despite the concern, relatives of those kidnapped support the resumption of fighting. Some of them even gather for Shabbat ceremonies dedicated to the hostages. Europe 1 went to meet them.
136 people are still hostages of Hamas. While bombings resumed on Gaza on Friday, relatives of those kidnapped continue to hope to see them alive again one day. Despite the concern, the families of the hostages support the resumption of fighting. On the main esplanade of the Tel Aviv Museum of Arts, dozens of people gathered to participate in a Shabbat ceremony dedicated to those held by Hamas.
With a firm and determined look, Elie came from his kibbutz, hard hit during the attacks of October 7, to participate in the ceremony. One of her friends was released, but two others are still being held in Gaza. “The hostages from my kibbutz are still in Gaza, but I completely agree with the cause of the war. As an Israeli, we cannot allow a terrorist organization to rule Gaza,” Elie states with conviction in microphone from Europe 1.
A lever for the release of hostages
Not far from Elie stands Osnat. She also supports the resumption of fighting which, according to her, could serve as a lever of pressure for the release of the hostages. “We must not forget that the first agreement began after Israel reacted forcefully. If we want to recover the hostages, we cannot do it with a peace agreement, we are starting to speak the language of Hamas,” she declares. If the bombings have resumed in Gaza, they have also restarted in Israel where rockets have reached the center of the country.