TRANSCRIPT
UPSOT: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joins New York supporters of Israeli to chant "Bring Them Home" - after 6 seconds, start voiceover.
After weeks of pro-Palestinian protests by students have dominated the national conversation, thousands of supporters of Israel gathered in New York to draw attention to the plight of hostages.
Many voiced their support for Israel's war against Hamas, but others expressed frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu's failure to secure the hostages' return almost eight months since October 7.
More than 100 remain in Gaza, along with the bodies of more than 30 believed to have died.
Anna Krouk-Lifshitz, whose father-in-law is still being held captive by Hamas, called for a ceasefire to bring them home.
"The Israelis, we don't want this war. We want it to be stopped as soon as possible. We want our loved ones to be back. We don't want people to die on the both sides. Has to be stopped as soon as possible."
Political division in the US has stretched to include the war, with debate ongoing over an invitation to Mr Netanyahu to speak to the US Senate and House of Representatives.
Some Democrats have condemned hosting the Israeli prime minister, the subject of an arrest warrant for war crimes from the International Criminal Court, although others, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have supported it.
Speaking to Fox News, Republican House speaker Mike Johnson, who made the invitation, called for bipartisan support for sanctions against the world's highest criminal court.
"We don't want this to just be a political exercise. We think it's important for Republicans and Democrats to stand together and send a message to the international community that the abuses of the International Criminal Court, the ICC, cannot be allowed to go forward."
Mr Netanyahu, who has continued to contest the warrant, has also come into conflict with the Democratic administration over a ceasefire plan he described as a "non-starter".
The three-phase plan would involve the exchange of hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, increased humanitarian aid to Gaza and a total Israeli withdrawal from the region, followed by negotiations over its political future.
White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby has insisted the plan, which was announced by President Joe Biden last week, came from Israel.
"It is an Israeli proposal, one that they arrived at after intense diplomacy with their own national security team and over at the State Department. So, where we are right now is that proposal, an Israeli proposal, has been given to Hamas. It was done on Thursday night, our time. We're waiting for an official response from Hamas. We would note that publicly, Hamas officials came out and welcomed this proposal. So, what we would hope will happen is they would agree to start phase one as soon as possible."
The situation in Gaza, where more than 36,000 people have now been killed and millions face starvation, remains desperate.
The US has continued to tread a delicate line with its closest ally in the Middle East, Israel, amid widespread international calls for an end to an Israeli air and ground offensive on the southern city of Rafah.
But Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has said the US is responsible for allowing Gaza's dire humanitarian situation to happen.
"The position of the US is perplexing. On one part, America calls on Israel not to widen the scope of the operation and to pay regard to the presence of civilians. In another aspect, the United States keeps providing the Israelis with bombs, material to use against Hamas."
Hopes that this latest ceasefire plan might bring an end to the conflict have quickly been subdued.
In an interview with the Sunday Times in the UK, Ophir Falk, the chief foreign policy advisor to Mr Netanyahu, said the Israeli government had agreed to the plan, but it was "flawed" and "not a good deal".
Israel's government, which has repeatedly expressed its aim to "eradicate" Hamas from Gaza, has continued to come out publicly against a full Israeli withdrawal before that happens.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant Minister said Israel is examining alternatives to the group.
"The security establishment, following my instruction, is preparing the ruling alternative to Hamas, when we isolate areas, we will remove the Hamas people from them and introduce other forces into them that will enable another government that will also threaten Hamas."
The Israeli prime minister and defence minister's public opposition to the ceasefire has come as powerful far-right allies who helped Mr Netanyahu return to power in 2022 have also come out against it.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the ultra-nationalist Jewish Power party, has said he will bring down the government if it goes ahead.
“A deal, as its details were published, means giving up on destroying Hamas, renouncing the continuation of the war, it is a reckless deal. There is no total victory, but a total defeat to Hamas. I say that if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to lead this deal, we will dismantle the government.”
As the conflict continues for now, the future of Mr Netanyahu's coalition remains uncertain.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reportedly called Mr Gallant, and the third member of Israel's War Cabinet, Benny Gantz, to push them to accept the ceasefire proposal.
The centrist Mr Gantz, who was alternate prime minister under a power-sharing arrangement with Mr Netanyahu between 2020 and 2021, has been seen as a possible successor.
But amid political manoeuvring, the familes of hostages have gathered at Mr Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem to call on him to accept a deal as a matter of priority.
Shay Dickmann says she is optimistic this deal is the chance for her to see to her cousin once again.
"I am here to support my government in taking this deal, the deal that Netanyahu suggested, our prime minster that will get all our people back home. We are all here in support for the return of all hostages."
