What about the hostages? Netanyahu pushes back against pressure for ceasefire deal Are the gloves off in Israel? After the October 7th attack by Hamas, the nation put aside bitter differences. But after the killing of six Israeli hostages, cue the biggest protests since last year’s attempted judicial overhaul by Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard right government. Demonstrators accuse a prime minister of piling on the demands to extend a war that has become his ticket to staying in power. Not at all, insists Netanyahu.