Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday, urging the Israeli government to secure the release of the 49 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza.
It marked the first public demonstration by families of the captives since Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire earlier this week.
The protest came just days after the end of a 12-day war between Israel and Iran, which concluded with a truce on June 24. Relatives of hostages said the resolution of the Iran conflict should now pave the way for an agreement to bring back their loved ones from Gaza.
Owing to emergency wartime restrictions, the regular Saturday night rallies at Tel Aviv’s “Hostages Square” had been suspended. But this week, the square was once again filled with demonstrators waving Israeli flags and holding photos of those taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks.
Since the assault, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a full-scale illegal invasion and bombardment in Gaza, promising to dismantle Hamas and rescue the hostages.
Nearly two years on, despite several hostage exchange deals, 49 people abducted during the October attack remain in Gaza. The Israeli military has declared 27 of them to be dead, fuelling mounting pressure on Netanyahu to negotiate a final resolution.
“The conflict with Iran ended with a deal. The war in Gaza must end the same way—with a deal that brings everyone home,” said a statement from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organised the rally.
Some demonstrators called on US President Donald Trump to play a decisive role in ending the Gaza war, citing his recent support for Israel during the Iran hostilities.
“President Trump, end the crisis in Gaza. Nobel is waiting,” read one demonstrator’s placard, hinting at a potential Nobel Peace Prize.
Liri Albag, a former hostage who was freed in an earlier exchange, addressed the crowd:
“I call on Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump—you showed bravery in the face of Iran. Now show the same courage to end the Gaza war and bring them home.”
