Hostages Israelis released by Hamas spoke publicly for the first time on Saturday, urging Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to secure the release of the remaining prisoners in the Gaza Strip.

These hostages, some released as part of the seven-day ceasefire that ended Friday, addressed a crowd of thousands in a video broadcast at a rally in Tel Aviv.

In short interviews, four women spoke of the fear, hunger and lack of sleep they suffered during their captivityafter being kidnapped during the October 7 attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Israeli territory.

The war between Israel and Hamas launched an attack after this, which killed about 1,200 peopleAuthorities say they were mostly civilians, and 240 were kidnapped by Hamas and taken to the Gaza Strip.

The US calls on Israel to protect civilians in Gaza

Israel immediately launched a bombing campaign in Gaza that Hamas says has already claimed the lives of more than 15,000 residents, the vast majority of whom were also civilians.

“Our daughters saw things that children that age, or any age, should not see,” said Danielle Aloni, 45, who was released Nov. 24 with her 5-year-old daughter.

“The food was not plentiful, and the more time passed, the less there was”said Ditza Heiman, 84, released Tuesday.

The released hostages asked Netanyahu’s government to take all necessary measures to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

“The moral obligation of this government is to bring them home immediately and without hesitation,” said 85-year-old Yocheved Lifschitz, who was released in October before the ceasefire took effect.

The distribution of these testimonies comes the day after the expiration of the seven-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which allowed the release of 80 Israeli hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip resumed on Friday, from where Hamas rockets were launched towards Israeli territory.

“We have to bring back my Sasha and the rest” of the prisoners, Elena Trupanov, a hostage freed on Wednesday, said at a rally in Tel Aviv, referring to her son, who remains imprisoned.

The families want to further increase pressure on authorities to release their loved ones after the Israeli army confirmed the deaths of five hostages on Friday.

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari indicated on Saturday that 137 Israelis and foreigners were still being held in Palestinian territory. (JO)