Netanyahu heckled by families of Israelis killed on 7 October

Israeli forces killed many of their own citizens on 7 October, while Netanyahu has sabotaged efforts to bring back Israelis held captive by Hamas in Gaza

News Desk - The cradle 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was interrupted and heckled by bereaved families during his speech at a ceremony commemorating those killed on 7 October, Israeli media reported on 27 October.

Netanyahu paused during his speech at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem as relatives of those killed shouted that their family members were murdered while others cried out, "Shame on you!"

One of those shouting at the prime minister wore a shirt that read, "We are not all together; I am an orphan."

During Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October last year, Hamas's Qassam Brigades and other Palestinian resistance fighters broke out of the besieged Gaza Strip to attack Israeli military bases and settlements, taking 240 Israeli civilians and soldiers captive.

Roughly 1,200 Israelis were killed during the operation. Some were killed by Hamas fighters, while hundreds more were killed by friendly fire from Israeli attack helicopters, drones, and tanks, per the Hannibal Directive. The deaths of those killed by the Israeli military were then blamed on Hamas.

Netanyahu has sought to sabotage ceasefire talks that would include the release of Israeli captives in Gaza for Palestinians abducted and imprisoned by Israeli forces.

The families of the captives are angry that the Israeli prime minister has insisted on continuing the war, which supporters in his Likud party view as an opportunity to ethnically cleanse Gaza and establish Jewish settlements there.  

Many of the Israeli captives in Gaza have subsequently been killed by the same Israeli bombing and sniper fire that has killed over 41,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children.

Iris Haim, whose son Yotam Haim was killed by Israeli forces after escaping Hamas captivity in Gaza, spoke at the civilian ceremony as a representative of the bereaved families.

On 7 October, the families" turned from anonymous people with dreams and plans into the parents of, brothers of, children of," said Haim.

"I turned into Iris Haim, the mother of Yotam Haim, who was killed by fire from our forces."

During his speech at the memorial, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "The bereaved families "embody the spirit of [King] David," adding that this spirit "will win."

"Beyond the memorializing, we have another important mission — the full rehabilitation of the Gaza border area and the north."

The Israeli army launched a ground invasion of Lebanon weeks ago but has met stiff resistance from Hezbollah.

Israel announced on Sunday that five Israeli reserve soldiers were killed and 14 wounded in a battle with Hezbollah resistance fighters in a southern Lebanese village on Saturday evening.

Hezbollah's ongoing rocket and missile fire at targets in Israel's north also prevents settlers from returning to their homes.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated in his speech at the memorial ceremony that "not every goal can be achieved only by military action" and that Israel will need to agree to "painful concessions" in order to bring the captives home.

Gallant claimed that as defense minister, he was responsible for the significant gains but also for the "failures" and the "heavy price" the Israeli army has paid in Lebanon and Gaza.

Netanyahu himself also said that Israel is "in the midst of a long and difficult existential war, a war that costs us a painful price. We are all determined to continue fighting against those who seek to take our lives."

Netanyahu was also heckled by family members of the captives during a memorial for the victims of 7 October held several weeks ago. Families of the captives also hold Netanyahu responsible for the intelligence failure that allegedly led to the Hamas attack.

When the second memorial day was first announced, the program did not include speeches from families of those killed on 7 October, reportedly due to concern that the platform could be used to criticize the government. Amid outcry, it was adjusted to include a representative from a bereaved family.