On March 7, 2021, dozens of Israeli families whose loved ones are being held hostage or are missing in action marched from southern Israel to Jerusalem, calling on the government to take action. The protesters, including relatives of Israeli servicemen held captive for years in Gaza, were escorted by police. The march was organized to draw attention to the lack of progress in getting their family members released.
In letters to the Prime Minister, members of the group of families demanded direct negotiations with the captors in order to bring the captives home. Many of the captives were soldiers taken during fighting in the 2006 Second Lebanon War or during skirmishes in the Gaza Strip in 2014.
The Israeli government has not released any details of the negotiations being held between security agencies and Hamas. The families hope that their march will pressure the government into taking action. The Israeli Prime Minister has yet to respond to these demands.
