Israelis demand release of hostages amid mounting criticism of PM Netanyahu

On the Azrieli Tower in Tel Aviv pictures of kidnapped Israelis with the message "Bring them home now!" winding on.

Nine days after the Hamas attack on Israel which left more than 1,400 victims, Israelis demand the release of hostages and for Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign.

During the past week, protests were held outside the headquarters of the Israeli military HQ at Kirya, Tel Aviv, to demand action for the 150 to 200 hostages detained in Gaza.

The number of hostages, provided by Hamas and Israeli officials, has not been independently confirmed.

The Israeli military, on Saturday (Oct 14), released a statement saying that they had found the bodies of some of the hostages abducted by the Hamas militant group.

On the streets of Tel Aviv, Monday (Oct. 16), desperation and calls for a deal dominated.

"I've been trusting this man for 15 years of my children's lives," Mona, a New Yorker who's been living in Israel fir 15th years said.

 "This is what he does to us because he's more concerned about his ego and his political career and his bribes and his … everything. His ego and his legacy. This is his legacy, blood on his hands! On his legacy, on his everything. This is his legacy!"

Some 150 people including foreign nationals were abducted by Hamas militants on October 7 during raids on Israeli towns and villages near the fortified border with the Gaza Strip.

They include citizens of Brazil, Britain, Italy, the Philippines and the United States, as well as many Israelis. 

Since then, Hamas has said some of the hostages died in Israel's retaliatory bombardments.

"I am here for the immediate release and action deal to release all prisoners, all Israeli hostages," protester  Cindy said.

"The way to do it immediately is to release all the Palestinians that are held prisoners, captive in Israel, and it should be done immediately."

On Sunday (Oct. 15) Israeli Premeir met for the first time with relatives of men, women and children abducted by Hamas militants. He denied reports of a truce to allow aid in or foreigners out of the Gaza Strip as an invasion that seeks to eliminate Hamas’ leadership looms.

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Choukry, received his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, in Cairo on Monday (Oct.16) and urged the delivery of humanitarian aid and the exit of foreign nationals from the bombarded Gaza Strip.