Tens of thousands of demonstrators poured into Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities on Saturday evening, demanding a hostage release agreement and a ceasefire before Israel proceeds with its planned assault on Gaza City. Families of the captives called for a nationwide strike, warning that the operation could seal the fate of their loved ones.
The mass protests — among the largest in recent months — erupted just days after the cabinet approved a plan to seize the densely populated Palestinian city, defying military warnings that the move would endanger hostages, put troops at unnecessary risk, and exacerbate Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
“A bright red flag is waving over the government’s decision to sacrifice our loved ones,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum declared in a statement ahead of the rallies. “Reach a comprehensive hostage deal, stop the war, bring us back our loved ones — their time is up.”
The Families Forum, representing most of the hostage families, organized rallies in major cities including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Shaar HaNegev Junction in southern Israel, and Kiryat Gat, along with smaller gatherings at dozens of other locations.
At Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, former captive Sharon Aloni-Cunio addressed a crowd of over 10,000 people, marking Tu B’Av — the Jewish festival of love — with a heartfelt speech about her husband, David Cunio, who remains in captivity.
Reflecting on recent propaganda footage showing hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski looking emaciated, she said, “I thought about my David: How much does he weigh? When did he last eat? Will he also be forced to dig his own grave?”
“Now, when eternal-war mongers are pushing all of us to a terrible disaster, they’re not even doing it for the hostages — they say out loud that they’re willing to sacrifice the hostages,” she said, slamming the government’s decision to expand the fighting and take over Gaza City.
She added that her young daughter Yuli, who was released with twin sister Emma and Sharon during the November 2023 ceasefire, “is asking me if her dad no longer loves her because he hasn’t yet come back from Gaza.”
“I say to all decision-makers: If, God forbid, anything happens to my David, or to any other hostage, it’s on your hands,” she said.
Following harrowing footage last week showing captives David and Braslavski in deteriorating condition, Eliya Cohen said “the writing was on the wall” that the hostages were being starved. He warned that the cabinet’s decision to take over Gaza City would place them in even greater danger.
“The decision to take over Gaza stresses me out. I know what happens to the hostages when the fighting intensifies,” Cohen said.
He called for a comprehensive agreement to end the war and secure the release of all 50 remaining hostages. “I know what it’s like to come back in a partial deal. I live with daily feelings of guilt, and I wouldn’t wish anyone to feel what it’s like to leave a brother behind,” he added.
Nearby, at the anti-government, pro-hostage deal protest in front of the Begin Street entrance to the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, speakers urged soldiers to refuse to serve in the expanded fighting, and called on opposition heads as well as business, labor and academic leaders to bring the country to a standstill.
“An entire country is held hostage by Hamas and the government of Israel,” said Einav Zangauker, mother of captive Matan Zangauker. “What needs to be done? The country needs to grind to a halt, now.”
Shai Mozes, nephew of former hostage Gadi Mozes, addressed thousands at the demonstration, declaring, “The mission you’ll be given is participation in the killing of hostages. In this situation, there is no other choice but to refuse.”
A mother of a combat officer in the IDF reserves, identified only as Bat-El, told the crowd that soldiers are physically and mentally exhausted and lack proper defensive equipment.
She warned that the plan to take over Gaza City “puts Israel on the sure path to a forever war that will cause the deaths of hostages, the loss of hundreds of soldiers, and the destruction of Israel’s image.”
