Hostage families, both in Israel and the U.S., have criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress for not addressing the plight of hostages held in Gaza or hastening steps to secure a cease-fire deal that would allow their release. Hundreds of families who had gathered in Tel Aviv to watch the speech were disappointed that he did not announce a deal, but instead defended the war in Gaza.
“The words ‘Deal Now!’ were absent from the Prime Minister’s address,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an advocacy group, said in a statement. “There was also no mention of the 120 hostages who, once again tonight, will not return home.” The Israeli military has so far confirmed the death of 44 hostages.
At least two family members of Israeli hostages were arrested by Capitol Police during Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, according to groups representing the families. One, Carmit Katzir, was removed from the gallery while wearing a yellow T-shirt that called for Netanyahu to immediately “seal the deal” for the hostages’ release, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum confirmed.
Katzir’s father was killed during the Oct. 7 attacks and her mother and brother were taken hostage, according to the Israeli military. While her mother was released as part of a brief cease-fire deal in November, the Israeli military said her brother was killed in captivity in January. “He could have been saved if there had been a deal in time,” Katzir said when his body was later recovered. “But our leadership are cowards.”
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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the Capitol on Wednesday.Jason Andrew for The New York Times
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Eric Lee/The New York Times
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Officers in riot gear using pepper spray.
Eric Lee/The New York Times
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Protestors hit with pepper spray receiving assistance.
Jason Andrew for The New York Times
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By Reuters
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Eric Lee/The New York Times
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Kenny Holston/The New York Times
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Jason Andrew for The New York Times
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Brent McDonald/The New York Times
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Jason Andrew for The New York Times
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Reporting from Washington
Hundreds of protesters are still chanting “free free Palestine” and banging drums in front of the U.S. District Court, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the east wing of the National Gallery of Arts. Pennsylvania Avenue remains closed to vehicular traffic.
As Israeli continued its strikes on parts of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, Palestinians carried bodies to the city’s Nasser Hospital, and injured Palestinians received treatment, sometimes outside. An Israeli bombardment of the area on Monday killed 73 people, the Gazan health ministry said on Tuesday.
