By Abdelraouf Arnaout
JERUSALEM (AA) – Families of Israeli hostages in Gaza stormed the territory’s border fence on Thursday to demand a prisoner swap deal with Palestinians.
In a statement on X, a forum for the hostages’ families said they breached the border fence, using loudspeakers to cry out to the captives.
"The families in their great pain breached the fence to Gaza and ran towards the Gaza Strip to get close to their loved ones as possible," the forum said.
A video published by Israeli media showed a number of people running towards the direction of Gaza through a gate that was open.
The forum also released another video showing an Israeli police officer demanding them to leave.
According to Israeli figures, some 108 Israelis remain held in Gaza, including at least 36 dead.
For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack last Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The onslaught has resulted in more than 40,500 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,700 injuries, according to local health authorities.
An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the territory in ruins.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar