Israelis mark 100 days of Gaza hostages' captivity, block Ayalon highway

The Hostages and Missing Families' Forum called on the Israeli government to hold their cabinet meeting at Tel Aviv's Hostage Square in a special rally held on Saturday evening to mark 100 days of captivity in Gaza of those kidnapped by Hamas on October 7.

The rally included protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. Protesters later blocked the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, with the Forum denying its involvement in the blocking of the highway.

Six suspects were arrested on suspicion of disturbing order, Israel Police said in a statement. The highways were later cleared of protesters.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who sent a recorded message to be screened at the Hostages' Square, was pictured holding a shirt bearing the "Bring Them Home Now" slogan, CRIF shared on X. In his message, Macron told the families of the Gaza hostages that they could trust him to "bring them all home."

Le Président de la République Monsieur @EmmanuelMacron arbore le t-shirt « Bring Them Home Now » pour témoigner son soutien à la libération des 136 otages encore retenus à Gaza. Trois Français sont toujours otages du Hamas.100 jours que les familles sont sans nouvelle de leurs… pic.twitter.com/uGX3sjLyWa

— CRIF (@Le_CRIF) January 13, 2024

Providing words of solidarity in person was Jack Lew, US Ambassador to Israel. "I stand with you," Lew said. "President Biden and the US are determined to bring all the remaining abductees home." Lew added that the US is "working around the clock with the governments of Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and any other nation that can aid in this mission. We won't rest until everyone is returned home. We are united in the demand to bring them back now."

Tunnel exhibit unveiled in Tel Aviv

A nearly 100-foot long (30-meter) tunnel exhibit was unveiled at the plaza, opened ahead of the rally. The exhibit stood just feet away from the Shabbat table set up in honor of the kidnapped, set up in their honor in the earliest days of the war.

Constructed by industrial artist Roni Levavi, the tunnel was built to simulate how life in a tunnel would appear to those held by Hamas. The dark tunnel drew large crowds throughout the day and was filled with signatures of captive family members who accessed the exhibit before the general public. 

The tunnel was filled with messages of hope, posters for missing loved ones, and pleas for help in English and Hebrew: bring them home now. Family members of the captives who visited went through with markers to write their remarks inside the exhibit. While walking through the dark tunnel, sounds resembling exploding bombs played on a loop.

Hostages in attendance

Some of those in attendance included released hostage Ofir Engel, a teen released as part of November’s hostage swap deal.

Engel was released after 54 days as a hostage in Gaza, after being kidnapped on October 7th from Kibbutz Be’eri while visiting his girlfriend, Yuval Sharabi. The Kibbutz Ramat Rachel resident was abducted alongside Sharabi’s father. Both Yuval and her sister Ophir Sharabi toured the tunnel replica alongside Engel.

Yuval and Ophir are both the daughters of Yossi Sharabi, and nieces of Eli Sharabi, both of whom have remained in Hamas captivity for 100 days.

While visiting, Engel stated: “Walking in this tunnel is terrifying, and being a hostage underground is unbearable. Their time is running out.” He called for their immediate release.

Also in attendance was Doron, a Kibbutz Hatzor resident and host father to many IDF lone soldiers throughout the years. On October 7th, one of his own was kidnapped, not long after arriving to begin his service through Tzofim Garin Tzabar.

Doron is 20-year-old Edan Alexander, a lone soldier who came for his IDF service from Tenafly, New Jersey in September. Among Alexander’s advocates are his entire host family, working to show up to the square daily and advocating for his immediate release.

“Edan is an amazing boy. Every time he came to the kibbutz, he came to us,” Doron told The Jerusalem Post. “On bloody Saturday, he was kidnapped from his base early in the morning. He was kidnapped alive. We are calling on the government, they need to bring him back alive,” he added.

Doron, who uses a motorized chair for mobility, has decorated the vehicle with signs calling for his release, and his kidnapped posters — each one with a different age, signifying that Alexander spent his 20th birthday in Hamas captivity. He said he has been passing the time by spending every day possible at the Hostage Square and headquarters, advocating for his return. 

Families of the captives flowed in and out of the structure throughout the day. Starting Saturday afternoon, the public can access the tunnel while visiting the square.

"As long as Ohad isn't home, I feel abducted too."

Also in attendance was Raz Ben-Ami, who was released from Hamas captivity after 54 days in Gaza, and whose husband Ohad remains captive. 

"My Ohad," Ben-Ami said, "you taught me about being in a relationship, but not about being abducted."

Ben-Ami went on: "Being abducted means constant uncertainty about your next meal, feeling suffocated all the time, and not knowing when you'll see daylight again. As long as Ohad isn't home, I feel abducted too. Time is running out for Ohad and the other abductees."