Israeli Protesters Intensify Demands for Gaza Hostage Deal

Thousands of demonstrators once again took to the streets of Israel’s major cities on Saturday, urging the government to intensify efforts to free hostages still held in Gaza. Of the 251 people abducted during Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel, 97 remain captive, according to the Israeli military, including 33 who are believed to have died.

The weekly protests aim to maintain pressure on the Israeli government, which has been criticized for allegedly delaying negotiations for the release of the hostages. Organizers of the rallies have noted a rise in attendance, particularly after Israeli authorities revealed that six hostages, whose bodies were recovered from a southern Gaza tunnel, had been executed by militants. Among the six was Alexander Lobanov, whose wife Michal addressed the crowd in Tel Aviv on Saturday. She questioned why the government had not done more to bring him back alive, expressing that “it was possible to save them” through negotiations rather than military means, calling it “a different kind of bravery.”

Thousands of people participated in the demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where signs reading “Bring them home,” “Seal the deal,” and “End the bloodshed” were prominent. Criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has intensified, with many accusing it of not taking sufficient steps to secure a truce deal that could lead to an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for the remaining hostages.

While most of the hostages released so far were freed during a temporary truce in November, only eight have been rescued alive by Israeli forces. Meanwhile, talks mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar have been at a standstill for months. As the war has continued for over 11 months, many, like protest organizer Noa Ben Baruch, expressed frustration. She said, “The urgency is unparalleled. It’s not only about the hostages, it’s everything.” She added, “This war has to end. It’s futile.”

In both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, the names of the hostages were read aloud, with protesters emphasizing the need for the government to prioritize their rescue. Ran Eisenberg, a 77-year-old Tel Aviv resident, voiced his frustration: “The fact that it doesn’t happen really makes me very frustrated.”