A flotilla of 11 vessels, organized by the families of Israeli hostages held by the Hamas terrorist organization, set out Thursday morning from the Ashkelon marina toward the waters off Gaza, in what they called an urgent plea for their loved ones' return. Dubbed "Flotilla 50," the protest lasted about two hours, with no planned stops at sea and on a a route that did not bring the boats too close to Gaza's shore, due to the risk of rocket or mortar fire.
Roughly 20 relatives of hostages participated in the protest, held under tight coordination with the Israel Police and the IDF. The boats were flying yellow flags and adorned with protest signs, making a highly visible call for action. Three of the boats carried the families and journalists.
"I will shout to him that it's his father, so he knows I'm here, so he can hold on," said Haggai Angrest, father of kidnapped IDF soldier Matan Angrest. "We want to be as close as possible to our children and put an end to this insanity. It's been too long. We trust the chief of staff."
In a statement, the families said, "We will sail from Ashkelon and Ashdod toward the maritime border with the Gaza Strip in a desperate cry: Bring our children home before it's too late. The people of Israel are behind us. The people of Israel are with the hostages."
As the flotilla set sail, the families added: "We are sailing to the maritime border with Gaza to cry out on behalf of our loved ones, held captive by a murderous terrorist organization. The recent statements about conquering Gaza and escalating the fighting put them at immediate risk of death or disappearance. Returning all 50 hostages is the only image of Israeli victory. From here, facing our loved ones held in hell, we call on the prime minister, Minister Dermer, and the chief of staff: This is the time for courageous leadership. Continued obstruction, hesitation, and delays in bringing our loved ones home will be a disaster for generations. It's on you. Do not sacrifice our loved ones on the altar of an endless war."
The flotilla is taking place against the backdrop of stalled negotiations for the hostages' release, mounting public pressure, calls for a full military takeover of Gaza, and grim updates from hostages recently released or confirmed dead, including Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski. The event is being supported by the Israel Sailing Association, the non-profit group Sails, and the Ashkelon marina.
Yotam Cohen, whose brother Nimrod Cohen is also taking part in the flotilla, voiced concern that the hostages, including his brother, could die if the IDF launches a full-scale assault on Gaza.
"Over the weekend we received the videos and saw the condition Rom and Evyatar are in, they look like human skeletons. We expect everyone to look at the images of them dying and understand that continued fighting endangers them. The politicians aren't even trying to reach out to us. I also hear what they're saying, and none of them has any intention of bringing the hostages back. They're making decisions against the hostages."
