From the first hours after the October 7 massacre, they looked at each other with suspicion, sometimes even with explicit contempt. Then, as the weeks went by, the relationship between Benjamin Netanyahu and the families of the Hamas-abducted hostages (at least many of them) became one of conflict, constantly monitored lest it find an opportunity to explode. This is what happened today, December 25th, in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. Netanyahu reported to the country's only chamber on the progress of the war in Gaza and guaranteed for the umpteenth time that the fighting would not stop until the main objective of the operation was achieved: the elimination of Hamas from the Gaza Strip. “The fighting will intensify in the next few days,” the prime minister of the Jewish state reversed the perspective today, on the day news arrived from Gaza of a tragic toll of 129 casualties in multiple IDF airstrikes. But there were some extraordinary guests in the Knesset gallery today: a large delegation of family members of the approximately 130 hostages still in the hands of Hamas and other Islamist (or criminal) groups. A large proportion of them can no longer listen to Netanyahu's bellicose proclamations while behind-the-scenes negotiations over a new ceasefire – which could serve to bring their loved ones home – are at a standstill. And while Netanyahu was explaining his “doctrine” for Gaza, the hostages’ relatives kept interrupting him by shouting, “There is no time!” Now!” Surprised by the unscheduled speech, Netanyahu paused his speech for a few seconds and then continued .
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