Families of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip and their supporters held a series of rallies Sunday outside the homes of cabinet ministers accusing the government of “sacrificing ” their loved ones in order to wage an “eternal war.”

Protesters gathered early in the morning outside the homes of Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Energy Minister Eli Cohen, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, and Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter.

“We have come to give the cabinet a wake-up call,” the Hostage Families Forum said in a statement announcing the protests, adding that the government’s “decision to sacrifice our loved ones on the altar of an eternal war” showed that it had lost its way.

“There will be no absolution for repeated torpedoing [of hostage deals]. Fulfill the people’s wishes: End the war and bring everyone home,” the group said.

Rob and Hagit Chen, parents of soldier Itay Chen, whom Hamas killed and abducted to Gaza on October 7, were among the protesters at Dermer’s house.

“I haven’t seen my son for 688 days,” said Hagit before Rob read out a list of the hostages still in Gaza. “I don’t know where he is, I don’t know if I’ll ever get him back. Where is the government?”

Addressing Dermer’s wife, Hagit Chen said, “Your husband, Ron Dermer, hasn’t been willing to meet us for eight months since the day he got the job. He isn’t willing to meet with the parents of a hostage, a soldier who sacrificed his life on October 7. What sort of country are we living in?”

At Katz’s house, Yehuda Cohen, father of Nimrod Cohen, said, “Since the hug you gave us at the IDF Headquarters, not only has Nimrod not come........

© The Times of Israel