'Shoulder to shoulder': Protesters line-up on beaches to demand hostage deal

Hundreds of people arrived at the shores of the city of Herzliya on Friday morning to form a long line down the coast in an act of protest against the government, and demand from them to accept any deal that would release any remaining hostages still in Gaza.

The line also extends to Gordon Beach in Tel Aviv, as the human chain has been stretching all the way from Habonim Beach to Rishon Lezion in order to put further pressure on the government to make a deal to release the hostages.

The mother of hostage Omer Shem Tov, Shelli, initiated the event, Ynet reported. She said, "Strength comes when it stands silently behind us, without slogans, so that all the people may come without opposition from either side. That's my request. It epitomizes our unity, much like our captives and soldiers who stand side by side. If we stand together quietly, that's where true power lies."

Non-political demonstration

The demonstrators wore yellow clothes and held Israeli flags. Shem Tov's grandmother, Sara Ashkenazi, said, according to Ynet, "I am happy that people support us. Shoulder to shoulder, no politics - just to return the hostages. Our dream is that Omer will return home and sit with us on the night of the Seder."

In Caesarea, hundreds of people also in yellow, gathered at the beach in yellow clothes to pressure the government to quickly return the hostages to their families. They wrote "Bring them home" in the sand, and shouted: "Almost 200 days have passed, we must bring them back to us soon. It's the eve of Passover, the holiday of freedom, and we all pray for their return soon."

Ahead of Passover, President Isaac Herzog called for an empty chair to be left at the table on the eve of the holiday to remind everyone of the hostages in Gaza who are not free.