“This is what the State of Israel brought me from captivity, from the tunnels in Khan Younis. Matan’s urine. This is what I have from my firstborn son,” Zangauker said
Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, said that she received a bottle of her son’s urine from Israeli authorities who were operating in Khan Yunis during demonstrations for the hostages on Thursday evening in Jerusalem.
“Instead of getting my child back in a deal, instead of endangering soldiers and reservists, instead of ending this war and allowing an entire nation to recover and rebuild itself, to heal both body and soul – this is what the State of Israel brought me from captivity, from the tunnels in Khan Yunis. Matan’s urine,” she said, holding up a bag with a bottle of urine.
“This is what I have from my child. I will not settle for this urine bottle – I want to embrace my son! I want to help him recover! I want to walk him down the aisle with Ilana and his sisters!”
She went on to express her anger with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not having a comprehensive deal after over 700 days of war in Gaza.
“Prime Minister, it is in your hands to bring my son back to me. It is in your hands to return 20 living hostages to us. It is in your hands – with one signature, nothing more is needed – one copy of a comprehensive agreement to return our fallen for burial.”
Hostage families camp outside of Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem
Family members of the hostages, along with former hostage and Matan’s partner Ilana Gritzewsky, are sleeping in tents outside of the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem overnight on Thursday.
This is the fourth night of the hostages and missing families’ emergency encampment on Azza Street. Protesters were expelled from the area on Wednesday evening.
“We will not stop and we will not give up on our 48 loved ones,” the Hostages and Missing Families forum said in a statement. “We call on the people of Israel to come up to Jerusalem tomorrow evening as well and join us in demanding an immediate deal for the return of all hostages and an end to the war.”
Earlier in the day, Bar Godard, daughter of slain hostage Meny Godard, called for Netanyahu to sign a deal to bring back all of the hostages who were killed in captivity or had their remains held hostage.
“This scene is not a horror movie, this is my life. I already buried my mother because of this war and all I’m asking is that no other family joins the ranks of the bereaved. Bring back my father so he can be buried next to my mother,” she said.
“Enough, stop this madness. Don’t let another mother bury her son. I had two loving parents, and now I’m an orphan begging for a grave. Don’t let anyone else join the circle of bereavement.”