Education Minister Yoav Kisch confronted hostage families demonstrating outside of his home by playing music at them, according to local media reports.
During Sunday’s nationwide protests demanding that the government end the war and bring their loved ones back from Hamas captivity, several hostage families and demonstrators protested outside the homes of government ministers and MKs.
Sigal Mansouri, whose children, Norel and Roya, were killed at the Nova music festival, was speaking outside of Kisch’s home at the time of the incident.
Kisch, in an official response, stated, “They used Sigal cynically and maliciously. I had no idea she was speaking outside, and I spoke with her yesterday after the event. I play music because I’m not willing to listen to the curses against my wife and children.”
Eli Albag, whose daughter, Liri Albag, was held hostage until her release in January, criticized Kisch’s behavior: “You need to understand who is in front of you and what pain they are feeling.”
Kisch confronts hostage families
“For over a year, protesters have been coming to my doorstep, supposedly in the name of hostages’ families, cursing my wife and children with horrific insults,” Kisch posted on X/Twitter after images of his house went viral.
He added, “These are the same protesters, time and again, whose sole purpose is to topple the government. Not the release of hostages, nor concern for their families.
“I will not flinch in the face of these constant attacks, which have never been covered and are not being covered by the so-called objective media. These protests will not bring the release of a single hostage closer, but sadly, will do the opposite.”
Before the nationwide protests, Kisch clarified that any lecturer or faculty member who would participate in the strikes “would have it deducted from their salaries.”
“I commend the faculty members at Ben-Gurion University who announced they would not join the political strike,” he said.