A scuffle broke out in Israel’s Knesset between security guards and members of families affected by the October 7 attack. At least two people were injured in the incident.
The opposition leader Yair Lapid and several other opposition MPs shared the video of the scuffle on social media.
The October Council, an NGO, has brought together 1,500 families of those killed, injured, or abducted in the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
On Monday, during a Knesset session where Prime Minister Netanyahu was scheduled to speak, the October Council had requested permission to attend. However, when members of the council arrived at the Knesset, security guards prevented their entry, leading to an argument that quickly escalated into a scuffle.
Following the incident, the council members sat on the Knesset stairs, reciting the Kaddish (a Jewish morning prayer) and holding placards with pictures of the deceased and hostages.
Eventually, they were allowed into the session. During Netanyahu’s speech, they stood with their backs to him, continuing to display the placards.
The council members left after the session ended.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military operation in Gaza, which has continued for 15 months. The operation has resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 100,000 injuries.
Despite the prolonged operation, Netanyahu’s government has not yet managed to rescue all the hostages, drawing widespread criticism. Families of the hostages accuse Netanyahu of prioritizing military operations over their rescue.