Protesters in Israel Demand Hostage Deal in Largest Demonstration Since Gaza Conflict Began

Massive Protests Across Israel Demand Hostage Release

Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Sunday night, with organizers reporting a turnout exceeding 400,000. This demonstration marked one of the largest coordinated protests since the start of the Gaza war nearly two years ago. Protesters blocked major roads, closed private businesses, and held rallies in cities across Israel, showing widespread support for the release of 50 hostages still held in Gaza.

The nationwide grassroots strike and protests grew throughout Sunday as people demanded action from the government to secure the return of the hostages. Demonstrations also took place outside the homes of government ministers, highlighting the frustration among families and citizens alike.

The day of protests began at 06:29 a.m., the exact time when Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Organizers said that over one million people participated in hundreds of actions across the country during the day. At the main rally at Hostages Square, a new video clip of Matan Zangauker, a captive, was released. The video, reportedly recorded several months ago in Gaza, was recently obtained by the Israeli military and shared by Matan’s mother, Einav Zangauker, as part of the ongoing campaign to free the hostages.

In the video, Matan appears with a shaved head and addresses his sisters and his partner, who was kidnapped with him from Kibbutz Nir Oz and was released after 50 days in November 2023. He says, “Tatu (Natali), Shani, Ilana – I miss you, and God willing, we’ll meet soon. To all my acquaintances, all my friends – go out and make noise like only you know how.”

After the video was released, Einav Zangauker spoke at Hostages Square and expressed her anguish. “Your quiet gaze at the end of the video accompanies me as I toss and turn in bed at night. My soul burns with longing; it burns that I cannot hug you, hear you, and hold you,” she said. She criticized the government’s conduct, stating, “They have turned the most just war into a futile war. If Netanyahu wants an agreement, let him put a comprehensive proposal on the table and agree to it; otherwise, he is simply lying.”

Family members of the hostages, alongside the October Council, which represents bereaved families from the war, held a press conference in Tel Aviv. They announced an “emergency break” until the hostages are released. Anat Engrest, whose son Matan is held in Gaza, said, “Today, we stop everything to save the lives of 50 hostages and soldiers. Today, we stop everything to remember the supreme value of the sanctity of life.”

Polls consistently show a large majority in Israel supports a ceasefire deal to release all hostages in exchange for ending the war. However, the last round of negotiations collapsed in late-July when the U.S. and Israel withdrew their teams from talks in Doha, accusing Hamas of not negotiating in good faith.

“We are united in one simple demand directed at the Israeli government: Put an Israeli proposal on the table today for a comprehensive deal – to end the war in exchange for the return of the last hostage. No slogans, no sabotage, no demands that we know the other side won’t accept,” said Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod is a hostage. “It’s time to end the horrific nightmare the entire country has been living in for 22 months.”

The strike was announced following the Israeli security cabinet’s decision to expand the war and take over Gaza City, despite warnings from the military that such operations could endanger the remaining 50 hostages. The Israeli military says the operation will begin “soon,” and the government claims it will provide tents to the local population before relocating them “for their protection.” Almost the entire population in Gaza has been displaced, with many forced to move multiple times.

As of early Sunday afternoon, Israeli police reported 38 protesters had been arrested across the country for disturbing the peace. While Israel’s largest labor organization, the Histadrut, did not join the strike, it encouraged employers to let workers participate. Many technology companies, law firms, academic institutions, and private sector enterprises also announced their participation and support, alongside citizens who declared they would take the day off or refrain from business transactions.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed support for the hostage families during a visit to the central gathering at Hostages Square. “All of the people of Israel are anxious, concerned, and want the hostages to come home. There is not a single Israeli woman or man who does not want them home,” Herzog said.

However, members of the Israeli government criticized the day of protests. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “Those who are calling today to end the war without defeating Hamas not only harden Hamas’s stance and delay the release of our hostages – they are also ensuring that the horrors of October 7 will repeat themselves again and again.” Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right Minister of National Security, called the strike a “cynical political maneuver on the backs of the hostages,” linking it to long-standing anti-government protest movements.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents most of the hostages still in Gaza, responded to the criticism, saying, “You can continue to hide behind spins and political calculations, but you cannot escape responsibility.” The forum announced plans to set up a protest encampment on the Gaza border called “Waypoint 50” to continue pressuring the government to secure the release of the hostages.