Dozens of residents of the Gaza border region arrived in Jerusalem this morning (Monday) demanding that the IDF not halt the fighting until Hamas is eliminated completely and permanently.
During their journey to the capital, the protesters placed a large sign beside Highway 1 reading, "Wake up, Hamas has not yet been defeated".
In addition, they drove a tractor on which a large clock was mounted showing 06:29 - the hour the terror attack began on Simchat Torah - as a symbol of the ongoing threat and a call for more decisive action.
The protesters, residents of many communities in the Gaza region, called on decision-makers not to stop the fighting as long as Hamas exists. They argued that a return to routine under an active threat is a clear and immediate danger. They emphasized that they do not intend to return to their homes while the terrorist organization behind the massacre continues to exist beyond the fence.
At the demonstration it was made clear that any ceasefire without the total elimination of Hamas would be considered by them a strategic failure and an abandonment of southern Israel. They said only a decisive victory would allow their personal and communal rehabilitation.
Yishai Spaz, a resident of Yated, said, "We cannot imagine returning home while Hamas still exists. Our children experienced the inferno, and the basis for our life here is absolute security. If the state does not destroy Hamas completely, it abandons us. We are here to say, 'We will not rest and we will not be silent until full victory is achieved. This is not a political matter, this is an existential matter'."
Later today, community representatives are expected to participate in a special hearing of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. During the session the representatives intend to call on the government and the IDF to place the security of Israeli citizens at the top of priorities, even in the face of international pressure. They noted that the current protest is only the beginning of a broad public campaign.