Thousands rally against government, for hostage deal after Hamas releases video of 2 Israeli captives

Thousands of Israelis protested across the nation on Saturday night – demanding a hostage release deal and calling for early elections – after the release of propaganda videos by Hamas showed signs of life for two more Israeli hostages.

In Tel Aviv, where weekly protests have been ongoing for months, various protest groups gathered at multiple locations throughout the city, including Hostages Square, Kaplan Street, the Azrieli Mall, and near the military headquarters.

Demonstrators at Hostages Square held signs depicting the hostages in Gaza and calling for their immediate release. On Kaplan Street, many of the protesters held anti-government signs along with images of the hostages and called for early elections.

After the two main protest rallies ended, a group of protesters temporarily blocked the Ayalon Highway before being dispersed by Israeli police. 

Police later announced the arrest of seven protesters at the Tel Aviv rallies for disrupting the peace "after confronting the police and not obeying instructions" to disperse. 

In Jerusalem, anti-government and hostage rally participants joined in a march through the city, culminating in speeches at Ben Yehuda Street.

Family members of hostages addressed several of the rallies, calling on the government to agree to a release deal. 

Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is a hostage in Gaza, called on the government to stop IDF operations in Gazav and to secure a hostage release. 

“Declare an end to the fighting if it leads to the retrieval of the hostages,” she said at the rally. 

She accused politicians, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, of being more interested in politics than freeing the captives. 

“No [parliamentary] seat in the world is worth my son’s life, or the lives of 132 hostages in Gaza,” Zangauker told those gathered at the rally. 

She also called on Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot to leave the War Cabinet, saying they “did not achieve the goals of the fighting” and they allowed Netanyahu to “kill deals for the hostages.” 

Dani Miran, the father of Omri Miran, who was seen in the most recent Hamas propaganda video, spoke to those gathered at Hostages Square about his son. 

“As I had expected, he had a beard. Because he has nothing to shave with,” Dani said. “Since the kidnapping, I have grown a beard, and on the day he returns we will shave together.” 

The Hostages and Missing Family Forum released a statement calling on the government to suspend the war in exchange for a hostage release deal. 

“For half a year, we have been told that military pressure will lead to the release of the hostages,” the statement read. “This strategy has failed. Today we are calling on all members of the government: If the only way to a comprehensive deal for the hostages is to end the war, end the war to bring the hostages home to us!” 

They also claimed that entering Rafah would result in the deaths of more hostages.