ISTANBUL

Relatives of Israeli captives in Gaza demonstrated in west Jerusalem Tuesday to demand the government complete a prisoner exchange agreement with Palestinians.

Scores of Israelis blocked a main highway in the city ahead of a security cabinet meeting on Tuesday to discuss the fate of the Gaza ceasefire agreement with Hamas, Israeli Channel 12 reported.

A statement by the captives’ families accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “procrastinating and doing everything” to sabotage the agreement.

Families of Israeli hostages demonstrated in Jerusalem, demanding the continuation of the prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas

• Protesters blocked Highway 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, urging Netanyahu’s government to finalize the agreement and bring back… pic.twitter.com/lAoNo0357T

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) February 11, 2025

On Monday, Palestinian resistance group Hamas said that it will delay the next hostage release in response to Israeli violations of the Gaza agreement.

Israel estimates that 76 Israelis are still held in Gaza, but doesn't know how many of them are dead or alive. It, however, holds over 10,000 Palestinians in its jails amid reported torture, abuses and medical negligence.

Further complicating the situation, US President Donald Trump proposed the cancelation of the Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas if all the hostages in Gaza are not released by Saturday noon.

The three-phase ceasefire deal has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,000 people and left the enclave in ruins.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.