Israeli police arrest relatives of Gaza hostages during Tel Aviv protest

Two relatives of Israeli hostages abducted on October 7 were arrested during a protest outside the defense ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv Tuesday evening, according to one of the groups that participated.

Two relatives of Israeli hostages abducted on October 7 were arrested during a protest outside the defense ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv Tuesday evening, according to one of the groups that participated. Shahar Mor confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that he was arrested alongside his cousin, Barak Ben Ezra. Both men are relatives of Avraham Munder who is still being held in Gaza. Their cousins, Ohad Munder, Ruth Munder and Keren Munder, were all released by Hamas last year. The two men were released after less than three hours of detention, they said. In a joint statement, Mor and Ezra thanked the Israeli police for “releasing us so quickly,” and said they intend to “continue our struggle.” Protesters had gathered to voice their anger following media reports that an Israeli delegation holding indirect hostage negotiations with Hamas was leaving the talks in Qatar without a deal. Israeli police in a statement said they cleared the protesters from Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway where they were blocking traffic. Four protesters were arrested for violating order and “endangering the road users,” the police said. A representative from the Israeli Pro-Democracy Protest Movement that was involved in the demonstrations said in an update that two of the four arrested were relatives of hostages. CNN affiliate Kan also reported the arrests, saying the two were related to one hostage who was released and another who is still believed to be held in Gaza.