Opposition leader Yair Lapid calls on President Trump to push for a hostage deal and immediate ceasefire, but critics—including hostage families and Netanyahu—say the protests fueling his demand are politically hijacked and risk strengthening Hamas.
Israel’s internal debate over the war in Gaza exploded again Monday after MK Yair Lapid appealed directly to US President Donald Trump to support a ceasefire deal—even one that leaves Hamas in power.
Posting on X, Lapid declared:
“President Trump @POTUS and our friends across the world: The people of Israel spoke last night. Hundreds of thousands across the country. Supporting Israel means supporting a deal to bring all the hostages home and ending the war 🎗️.”
The call came after mass protests and strikes billed as “apolitical” solidarity events for the hostages.
But behind the scenes, bitter divisions are emerging.
🎗️ Hostage Families Divided
Avishai David, father of hostage Evyatar David, blasted the demonstrations, accusing organizers of exploiting hostages’ suffering for political gain:
- “The hidden and declared goal is first of all to topple the government and its leader,” David said.
- He revealed that organizers even used his son’s image—burned and bloodied—on protest flyers without family consent, calling it “horrifying, cynical, and hypocritical.”
Other hostage families have echoed similar frustrations, warning their pain is being manipulated in Israel’s internal political battles.
⚔️ Netanyahu: Protests Help Hamas
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also condemned the demonstrations, arguing that calls to end the war now only embolden Israel’s enemies:
“Those who are calling today for an end to the war without defeating Hamas are not only hardening Hamas’ position and delaying the release of our hostages, they are also ensuring that the horrors of October 7 will repeat themselves and that we will have to fight an endless war.”
🌍 The Dilemma for Trump
Lapid’s direct appeal to Trump places the US president in the middle of Israel’s most divisive question: Should Israel strike a deal that frees the hostages quickly but risks leaving Hamas intact—or press ahead with a military campaign to eliminate Hamas entirely, despite the human cost?
As protests swell and political rifts deepen, Israel faces an agonizing choice: peace at any price, or victory at any cost.
