At the Jerusalem rally, speakers included Einav Zangauker, mother of Matan Zangauker; Ofir Braslavski, father of Rom Braslavski; reserve soldier Yoel Ilani; freed hostage survivor Yair Horen, brother of Eitan Horen; Michel Iluz, father of Guy Iluz; and Anat Angrest, mother of Matan Angrest.
In Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, additional relatives spoke, among them Yotam Cohen, brother of Nimrod Cohen; Hanna Cohen, aunt of Inbar Haiman; reserve soldier Shahar Veron; and Alon Nimrodi, father of Tamir Nimrodi. A live broadcast of the Jerusalem rally was screened in Tel Aviv.
Earlier, before the central rallies in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, a demonstration was held at Sha’ar Begin in Tel Aviv, where relatives of hostages and bereaved families spoke. Galit Dan, who lost her 13-year-old daughter, Noya, and her mother, Carmela Dan, in the Oct. 7 massacre at Kibbutz Nir Oz, told the crowd:
“Enough with the war, enough with the killing, enough with the victims. I will not allow my pain to be redeemed with revenge—I want change.” She described her tragedy as the “Binding of the South” (a reference to the biblical Binding of Isaac) and added: “I don’t want revenge, I want hope. In the name of all those who lost everything, and in the name of all those who can still be saved—please, stop the war.”
Ruhama Albag, aunt of freed hostage and former IDF lookout Liri Albag, said: “The country’s leaders continue to burn down our home, this time from the inside,” calling them “detached and addicted to war.” Shai Moses, nephew of freed hostage Gadi Moses, emphasized the need for civic action: “The Israeli government is exploiting the emergency to turn us into Sparta. This is the time for a general strike, this is the time to take to the streets until the last hostage returns.”
Ahead of the Jerusalem rally, mothers of hostages urged Israelis to join the protests and “cry out together.” Anat Angrest, mother of Matan Angrest, accused Netanyahu of “sending Jews to kill Jews in order to preserve his rule.” She also addressed IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir: “What kind of commander are you? Netanyahu’s soldier, sending your troops into death traps? You know the maneuver in Gaza, as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, will lead to the killing of hostages and soldiers. You know a comprehensive agreement can end the war.”
Outside the prime minister’s residence, Einav Zangauker declared: “We are here in front of the house of the prime minister of abandonment, the man who chose to exploit the patriotism of our soldiers in order to execute his greatest political problem: our children, my Matan.” She added: “For 715 days Netanyahu has never presented an initiative for ending the war and reaching an agreement. I have reached the home of my private angel of death—and it’s time the people of Israel reach him too. This is a war for the hostages and the soldiers—Operation Chariots of the People began this week in Jerusalem.”
Viki Cohen, mother of kidnapped soldier Nimrod Cohen, urged: “People of Israel, take to the streets—against Gideon’s Chariots, bring forth the people’s chariots against Netanyahu—fight with all your might until the war stops. Within the law—but the era of politeness is over. Politeness does not help, so let’s be impolite until we stop the deaths.” She added: “Netanyahu only understands force. Only a massive public can end this war and bring everyone home through a comprehensive agreement.”
Alongside the central protests in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, additional demonstrations were held at intersections and towns across the country. At the Kabri junction in the north, hundreds of residents of the Mateh Asher regional council gathered for a special event marking the hostages’ second Rosh Hashanah in captivity. Regional council head Moshe Davidovich urged the country’s leaders “not to let another year begin while Israelis remain captive in Gaza.”
In Kfar Saba, activists from the “Guard for the Hostages” movement held a rally that included a moment of silence for fallen soldiers. Demonstrations were also reported at intersections across the Galilee and central Israel, part of an ongoing campaign to pressure the government for a deal to free the hostages.