Yotam Cohen blasts Israeli premier for hostage deal stalemate in Tel Aviv Protest
TEL AVIV — Yotam Cohen, the brother of captive Israeli soldier Nimrod Cohen, accused his government on Saturday of violating a ceasefire and hostage release agreement with Hamas, according to The Times of Israel.
“The State of Israel is betraying the hostages,” Yotam Cohen said before thousands of protesters outside the military’s Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv.
“Netanyahu and (Strategic Affairs Minister Ron) Dermer are betraying the hostages,” he added.
Cohen alleged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Dermer, Israel’s new lead negotiator in hostage talks, are working to convince US President Donald Trump that most hostages are already dead and further negotiations are unnecessary.
His remarks come amid reports that Trump opened direct talks with Hamas — a move first revealed by Axios and later confirmed by the White House. Cohen suggested that foreign leaders “have already understood that Israel is not so interested in releasing its hostages.”
Hostage deal stalled as Israel refuses Gaza withdrawal
Nimrod Cohen is slated to be released in the second phase of the three-phase hostage deal, which would require Israel to withdraw from Gaza — a condition fiercely opposed by Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners in the government.
According to Yotam Cohen, Israel has failed to fulfill key terms of the agreement, including initiating the second phase of negotiations, which was expected to start Feb. 3, and withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, a move required by the end of the first phase last week.
“We are on day 50 of the deal, and Israel is violating the agreement,” said Cohen, condemning politicians pushing for renewed military attacks. “The same military pressure that killed more than 40 hostages until now … one in six hostages,” he said, referencing a New York Times report that was published Saturday.
Cohen expressed hope that Netanyahu and Dermer’s “Axis of Evil” would be overcome by the efforts of released hostages, eight of whom met Trump in Washington this week, alongside White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli American billionaire Miriam Adelson, a major Republican donor believed to have influenced Trump’s stance on the deal.
Following Cohen’s speech, Yifat Calderon, cousin of freed hostage Ofer Calderon, announced that the families of the hostages plan to camp outside military headquarters overnight in protest.
The demonstration, dubbed “Operation Kirya Cordon,” will see activists stationed outside each gate of the military base, with organizers urging demonstrators to respect security forces on duty. — AA
