Thousands Protest in Israel Demanding Release of Hostages
Thousands of protesters took to the streets early Tuesday, staging a nationwide day of action to demand that the government secure a deal for the release of 50 hostages still held in Gaza.
The demonstrations, organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, began at 6:29 a.m. — the exact time Hamas launched its October 7, 2023 attack — with Israeli flags unfurled outside the US Embassy in Tel Aviv.
By 7 a.m., demonstrators blocked major highways and intersections across the country, including Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway, Route 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and the coastal Route 2. Some protesters set tires ablaze as they halted traffic, sparking hours-long gridlock in several cities before police managed to reopen the roads.
Authorities acknowledged the public’s right to protest but cautioned against actions that disrupt daily life. “Freedom of protest and expression is not freedom to harm others’ freedom of movement,” police said in a statement.
Tensions deepened this week as Hamas announced it had agreed to a deal that would see half of the remaining hostages released, with further negotiations aimed at ending the war and freeing the rest. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, rejected the proposal, insisting that Israel would only accept an agreement securing the release of all hostages at once. At the same time, his government advanced plans for a major military offensive to capture Gaza City.
He added that pushing ahead with an assault on Gaza while a potential hostage deal sits on the table “is a stab to the heart of the families and the entire nation.”
“This government abandons its citizens and collapses the basic moral framework of sanctity of life and mutual responsibility,” said protest leader Horn at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square. “The progress of a plan to occupy Gaza while there is a deal on the table for the prime minister to sign is a stab to the heart of the families and the entire nation.”
He added that if public pressure continues to mount, Netanyahu would be unable to sustain the war and would be forced to agree to a deal, despite opposition from far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, who have threatened to collapse the coalition if such an agreement is signed.
Organized demonstrations were expected to continue in Tel Aviv throughout the day, with nationwide marches scheduled from 2 p.m. onwards.
