Tens of thousands of Israelis filled city squares and highways on Sunday, demanding an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages still held by Palestinian militants — a show of anger that drew a sharp rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The protests came just over a week after Israel’s security cabinet approved fresh plans to seize Gaza City, nearly two years into a conflict that has devastated the enclave and left humanitarian agencies warning of famine.
At the heart of the demonstrations was the fate of 49 hostages believed to remain in Gaza, among them 27 whom the Israeli military says are no longer alive. In Tel Aviv, families of captives unfurled a vast Israeli flag covered with portraits of those missing, turning “Hostage Square” — a symbolic gathering point throughout the war — into a sea of grief and defiance.
“This is probably the last minute we have to save the hostages,” said Ofir Penso, 50, who joined thousands of others in downtown Tel Aviv. Protesters carried flags marked with “681,” the number of days since the abductions during Hamas’s assault on October 7, 2023. That attack killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 others taken into Gaza.
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The unrest spread far beyond Tel Aviv. Roads were blocked, tyres set ablaze on the highway to Jerusalem, and rallies erupted near Beeri — a kibbutz ravaged in the initial Hamas attack. Police said more than 30 demonstrators were arrested. Organisers declared a nationwide strike, urging Israelis to “shut down the country” until the government secures a deal.
The Netanyahu government dismissed the protests as reckless. “These actions harden Hamas’s position and prolong the captivity of our hostages,” the prime minister said, accusing demonstrators of endangering Israel’s security. His far-right allies went further, branding the campaign a surrender to Hamas.
But opposition leader Benny Gantz countered that ministers were “attacking the families of the hostages” instead of taking responsibility for their continued captivity.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military chief announced plans to expand operations in Gaza City under “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” a move Hamas warned would bring “a new wave of extermination and displacement.” Aid agencies say conditions are already catastrophic. UN-backed experts warn famine is imminent, with reports on Sunday that seven Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire while waiting for food distributions.