Thousands rallied again Saturday night at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, marking day 694 of the war in Gaza, demanding that the government secure a deal to bring home captives still held by Hamas.
Families of hostages stood alongside photos of their loved ones, while demonstrators carried a banner with the image of IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir next to a quote of his: “We have created the conditions for the hostages’ release.”
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Rally in Tel Aviv in call for release of hostages
(Photo: AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Protesters chanted “Stop the world, our brothers are there,” “We will not abandon them in Gaza” and “Time is running out—bring everyone back.”
The demonstrations came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s War Cabinet prepared to meet Sunday to discuss the situation in Gaza, international recognition of a Palestinian state and developments in Lebanon and Syria. Officials said, however, that the panel will not consider Hamas’ latest response on a partial hostage deal. Netanyahu and Cabinet members have already decided they will only discuss a comprehensive agreement.
At the rally, Noam Idan Ben Ezra, whose brother Tsahi was killed in Hamas captivity, recalled that her mother had pleaded at the same square a year earlier for action. “She begged. She warned. We all know how it ended: a political decision destroyed the chance for Tsachi and for us to have a good ending, to have an embrace,” she said. “Instead of total victory, we paid the ultimate price—a price that 42 families have already paid. We cannot remain silent, we cannot normalize it. No more families should have to pay it.”
Parallel demonstrations were held in Haifa, at Karkur Junction and other locations nationwide.
The rally came just days after hostage families announced plans to escalate their campaign, including a protest in Jerusalem on Wednesday, demanding an end to the war and a deal to secure their relatives’ return. A day earlier, families had led nationwide demonstrations under the banner “Israel Stands Together,” pressing the government to advance negotiations and halt the planned operation to capture Gaza City, which they warn could endanger the captives’ lives.