Hostage families rally in Tel Aviv as demonstrations erupt throughout country

Protesters took to the streets in many cities on Saturday night throughout the country, demanding an immediate hostage release deal and new elections.

Demonstrators blocked traffic in Karkur, while protests went on in Beersheba, Kfar Saba, Caesarea, Herzliya, Netanya, Zikhron Ya’acov, and Tel Aviv – where the largest and main protest was on Kaplan Street.

Protesters also wrote out a large message in Tel Aviv calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government a “complete disgrace.”

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid went to the Hostages Square and then arrived at Begin Bridge in Tel Aviv to join the demonstrations. Anti-Defamation League Director Jonathan Greenblatt also attended the demonstration in the Hostages Square and spoke about the rising antisemitism worldwide.

“As long as our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers remain captive in Gaza, we will not be silent,” Greenblatt said. “Our hearts and our thoughts are with you constantly. I didn’t just put on these [hostage] dog tags to come here tonight. I wear them every single day.”

Notable protesters at the demonstrations included dozens of former IDF observers – a position that some of the young female hostages who were seen being taken captive by Hamas in a video that was recently released, were serving at the time of their kidnapping.

The former observers joined the families of hostages in the Square. They arrived at the protest wearing yellow shirts to support the families and tell them, “You are not alone.”

Family members of hostages at the square include Ayelet Levy (Na'ama's mother), Orli Gilboa (Daniella's mother), Shira Albag (Liri's mother), and Sasha Ariev (Karina's sister).

"We don't have time, they don't have time," said Ayelet. "I appeal to the decision-makers, to the war cabinet, be kind. Show courage and determination like Na'ama and like her friends there in Hamas captivity, and get our daughters back, now."

"Imagine for a moment your worst nightmare, and then imagine that you sit helplessly in front of the screen and see it come true again and again," Orli said. "Then, day after day, the seasons change, holidays and dates come and go, but the Seventh of October does not pass because you understand the hell your girl is imprisoned in, because you understand exactly in whose hands she is and the danger that hovers over her, hour after hour, minute after minute. Now, we are not asking, but demanding that the Israeli government bring a real breakthrough in the negotiations and really do everything."

Shira criticized the government further in her speech, saying, "They talk to us about the absolute victory, about the defeat of Hamas and the fact that the war must not be stopped. And it's true, Hamas needs to be overthrown, but Liri and the other hostages have no time, they have no air to breathe, they have no freedom, they are thrown there alone in the tunnels, in the dark."

Sasha spoke directly to her sister in her speech, noting that their mother could not see the video fully but that a few individual photos were enough for her to "burst into tears and not sleep for months.

"Dad and I watched the video and looked for anything indicating your condition. I'm sorry that we have reached a situation where we are almost eight months into the war, and you and many more hostages are still in Gaza, and that it is worth making people understand how urgent it is for you to return. We need to expose you like this in these horrific moments."

Protest organizers also issued a statement on Facebook: "This week, we were all shocked. We watched the video of the kidnapping of the female hostages, and we went crazy from the nonchalance of these terrorists. But do you know something? It could've been me or my best friend."

Police said later on Saturday night that it had arrested seven people during the protests.

Prospect for resumption of hostage deal talks grow

The protests came as prospects for a resumption of mediated Gaza ceasefire talks grew on Saturday since an official with knowledge of the matter said a decision had been taken to resume the talks this week after the chief of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency met with the head of the CIA and the prime minister of Qatar.

The source, who declined to be identified by name or nationality, said it had been decided that “in the coming week, negotiations will open based on new proposals led by the mediators – Egypt and Qatar – and with active US involvement.”

A Hamas official later denied Israeli media reports that the talks would resume in Cairo on Tuesday, telling Reuters: “There is no [set] date.”

After more than seven months of war in Gaza, the mediators have struggled to secure a breakthrough, with Israel seeking the release of hostages held by Hamas and Hamas looking for an end to the war and a release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. 

Eve Young contributed to this report.