Students of Herzliya Gymnasium in Tel Aviv demonstrate, calling for the return of the hostages. December 17, 2024. (Photo: Screenshot)
Thousands of middle school and high school students staged a walkout across Israel on Wednesday morning, calling for the release of the 100 Israeli hostages remaining in Hamas captivity and marking the second birthday that hostage Matan Zangauker has spent in Gaza.
Matan is the son of Einav Zangauker, who has become among the most visible and vocal representatives of the hostage families in Israel.
The protests were organized by student councils, with approximately 200 schools across the country participating, according to the organizers from the “Youth Front” group.
תלמידי גימנסיה הרצליה בתל אביב מפגינים עם בת דודתו של עופר קלדרון, יפעת, בעד החזרת החטופים@lirankog https://t.co/GdCJLqK5Lz pic.twitter.com/zzwi3NnqzR
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) December 18, 2024
The demonstrations were not approved by the Israeli Ministry of Education, which stated, “Despite the great importance of the issue, this is an external event that is not coordinated with the education system. Therefore, it will not be possible for students and teaching staff to leave during school hours.”
Several school principals told Ynet News that they received the directive from the ministry, but chose not to implement it, expressing their expectation for greater sensitivity from the ministry.
Thousands of students took part in the demonstrations, with many waving signs with messages that read, “You don’t learn to live with it,” and “We’re waiting for you.”
מאות בני נוער מרחבי הארץ יצאו הבוקר להפגין בדרישה לעסקת חטופים@lirankog @YoavBorowitz
(צילום: תניא ציון וולדקס; נוקי שריר) pic.twitter.com/PS0LYYgDDv— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) December 18, 2024
Einav Zangauker took part in the protest at the Hakfar Hayarok junction north of Tel Aviv.
“I want to thank the youth across the country, from north to south, who came out this morning to celebrate the second birthday of Matan Zangauker, the second in captivity. Matan is 25 today. But let’s express one wish from north to south, that Matan will be the last abductee to celebrate his birthday in captivity,” she said.
The “Youth for the Hostages” movement declared the struggle for the return of the hostages to be “the most important and urgent task of the State of Israel.”
“We were raised on the values of sanctity of human life and mutual loyalty, we grew up thinking that the State of Israel would never abandon any of its citizens. Today we are calling on the Israeli government to honor the contract and return all the hostages home now,” the movement said.
Zangauker thanked the students for standing with the hostages and their families. “You are an amazing people, you strengthen us, the families, everywhere. We only ask that you stand by our side. Thank you for that, thank you for who you are to us. We will not stop fighting for every kidnapped person who is in captivity. We will continue the struggle until everyone returns home.”
Zangauker has emerged as a prominent voice within a subgroup of hostage families that has been particularly critical of the government, accusing it of not doing enough to secure the hostages’ return due to political motivations.
She has sparked significant controversy with her sharp criticisms of government officials, some of which have bordered on threats.
During this week’s hearing of the Knesset Committee for Strengthening and Developing the Negev and Galilee, Zangauker attacked Knesset Member Ze’ev Elkin, from the Israeli Finance Ministry.
“If you would do everything, Matan and the rest of the hostages would already be home,” Zangauker said to Elkin, who recently re-entered the government with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope party.
“My Matan should not pay with his life for you to enter the government for a few jobs. The only price I am prepared for you to pay for the abandonment of Matan is your resignation.”
“My son is alive but you are continuing to abandon him…. If my boy returns in a body bag, or in pieces, I won’t put you on trial, I will take the law into my own hands,” she shouted. “My child is alive and there are others like him.”
At the weekly hostage rally in Tel Aviv last Saturday, Zangauker addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, threatening to become his “worst nightmare” if her son did not return home alive.
“I know from talks with officials in the negotiations that you have no intention of bringing back Matan, that you lied to me,” she claimed. “That you have no intention to end the war in return for a comprehensive deal.”
