Relatives of Gaza hostages storm Knesset panel

A group of relatives of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists stormed a Knesset Finance Committee session in Jerusalem on Monday, demanding that the lawmakers do more to try to free their loved ones.

Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron was supposed to present an overview of the 2024 budget, which passed last week after nearly 24 hours of negotiations that were wrought with last-minute wrangling and political drama. The updated budget is around 70 billion shekels larger than the previous one, a sum that is supposed to cover military and war debts. 

At the committee meeting on Monday, one woman held up pictures of three family members who were among the 253 people seized in the cross-border Hamas rampage of Oct 7 that triggered the worst fighting in decades. Some 136 remain held in Gaza after others were brought home in a November truce.

Family members of hostages cried in desperation for help

"Just one I'd like to get back alive, one out of three!" the protester cried after pushing into the Knesset Finance Committee discussion. Other protesters, clad in black T-shirts, held up signs reading: "You will not sit here while they die there."

"This is your schedule? Business as usual?" cried another. Inbal Tzach, whose cousin, Tal Shoham, 38, was taken to Gaza, cried that Israel needs to "stop with the complacency. Wake up!" 

"Release them now, now, now!" they chanted.

The high tensions and intense emotions come as one report from the Wall Street Journal outlined a deal by which the IDF would end its military campaign in Gaza - including withdrawal, retention of control in the Strip, and Israel releasing the Nukhba fighters who participated in the Oct. 7 massacre - in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. 

Members of Knesset respond

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last night "utterly" rejected the demand in a televised address to the nation, reassuring that Israel is committed to returning all of the hostages and that this proposal renders Israel vulnerable to the same threat as before the ground invasion began. 

Innovation, Science, and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis (Likud) told Kan Reshet Bet on Monday that Hamas is not even in a position where it can set conditions and make demands of Israel. "This war will not end before Hamas is completely disabled," he said.

Minister Chili Tropper (National Unity), addressing the same rumored deal, said that "there is not one thing that will bring the hostages home" and that the best way to achieve that desired result was to work on two planes simultaneously: military force, along with humanitarian and diplomatic pressure.

The disruption in the committee meeting led to a "break" in the meeting, called by Committee Chairman Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism), and the livestream was cut. 

Gafni told the families that his stance hasn't changed, "returning hostages is one of the most important mitzvot (religious commandments) that we have, especially now. I understand your pain, I am a part of it, and we will do everything to get them back." 

Earlier in the day, around noon, the families were invited to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his office in Jerusalem. 

Eliav Breuer and Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.