March on Washington for Hamas to release Israeli Hostages

Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

Countries including the US and Qatar are working around the clock to secure the release of the hostages captured on October 7th by Militant group Hamas.  Reuters reports that the Qatari deal would free around 50 hostages and ensure a three-day ceasefire.  The agency reports that Hamas has agreed to the deal but Israel is still negotiating.

The White House is also expressing optimism that after weeks of intense negotiations, the hostages will be able to return home.  According to Israeli updates as many as 200 hostages including senior citizens and children as young as three years old remain in the Middle East having been captured during the surprise attack on October 07. So far over a dozen have been killed, Hamas claims, by Israeli airstrikes.

Families of hostages march and thousands of other supporters of Israel gathered at the US National Mall in Washington to show support to Israel in its fight against Hamas on Tuesday, November 14.  The rally called ‘March for Israel’ was supported by US politicians who spoke at the event including Chuck Schumer, Senate majority leader. As calls for a ceasefire grow Joe Biden, US President, has indicated that is not on the table. Attendees chanted ‘No Ceasefire’ throughout the event while family members recounted the heartbreak of their missing loved ones.

Around 1200 Israeli citizens were killed in the October 07 attack, in the Israeli response since, around 11,000 Palestinian civilians and militants have been killed according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. The number includes 4,600 children according to a UNICEF report.