Tens of thousands of Israelis were expected to take to the streets around the country Saturday night in protest rallies, calling on the government to agree to a deal to bring back all the hostages and end the war in Gaza, as US President Donald Trump promised that an agreement was close.
The hostage families also highlighted the plight of their loved ones ahead of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, which falls this week, and as they approach two years in captivity.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents most of the hostage families, said its rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv would be themed “722 Awful Days” — a nod to the number of days since the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza, and to the Days of Awe surrounding the Jewish High Holidays, which began this week.
The Forum called on Israelis “to take part in rallies and demonstrations of support around the country, and demand that these Ten Days of Repentance finally bring redemption,” referring to the first 10 days of the Jewish year, culminating in Yom Kippur, which will be marked between Wednesday and Thursday night.
Amid Israel’s renewed offensive to take over Gaza City, the Forum accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of having chosen “a widening of the fighting and thwarting of a deal to bring back” the captives.
“Act on the will of the people — a comprehensive deal to bring back all 48 hostages and end the war in Gaza,” said the Forum.
Set to speak at the Hostages Square rally are former captive Doron Steinbrecher, who was released in January as part of the last ceasefire deal; Ronen Ohel, brother of hostage Alon Ohel; Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife of hostage Omri Miran; Nira and Yuval Sharabi, respectvely the wife and daughter of slain hostage Yossi Sharabi, whose brother Eli Sharabi was released in the last ceasefire deal; and Maia Chmiel, cousin of hostage Eitan Horn, whose brother Iair Horn was also released in the deal.
Also set to speak is Iris Shapira, the mother of a soldier, amid the Forum’s effort in recent weeks to represent troops who have fought in the war and think it should come to an end.
Other rallies are set to take place in several locations, including Jerusalem, Kiryat Gat and the Shaar HaNegev Junction in the south, the Forum said.
Anti-government and left-wing groups have also said they would rally at Jerusalem’s Paris Square, near Netanyahu’s residence, as well as outside the Begin Road entrance to the IDF headquarters. The entrance, a block away from Hostages Square, was until recently the focal point of large anti-government hostage families’ weekend protests, but those have since joined with anti-government rallies in Jerusalem.
The Hofshi B’Artzenu (Free in Our Land) anti-government group said it would protest at the Begin Road entrance and at Hostages Square “to struggle for the State of Israel’s democratic character” after “a week in which Maj. Gen. (res.) David Zini’s appointment to Shin Bet head was approved.”
Critics have assailed Zini for his self-described “messianic” views. His candidacy, which has faced significant legal challenges, was approved by a statutory advisory committee on Thursday, effectively guaranteeing his appointment.
Netanyahu nominated Zini to replace former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who has accused the premier of thwarting a ceasefire deal and trying to scrap a probe of his top aides for alleged criminal ties to Qatar.
The protests come after Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly on Friday, where he provoked the ire of hostage families for reading the names of only the 20 hostages still thought to be alive, but not the 28 other captives.
On the sidelines of the General Assembly, Trump met with Arab and Muslim leaders and presented to them a new US plan to release all the hostages and end the war in Gaza.
The ceasefire plan, revealed by The Times of Israel on Saturday, encourages Palestinians to stay in Gaza and arranges for the Palestinian Authority to ultimately take the reins of the Strip — both in contravention of Netanyahu’s public statements.
Trump said on Friday that he was holding intensive talks with Middle Eastern nations on a Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal and that Israel and the Palestinian terror group Hamas were aware of the discussions, which he said would continue as long as required.
Earlier, he told reporters that a deal to end the war and free the hostages was “very close,” a predication he has repeatedly made since returning to the White House earlier this year.
“I think we have a deal on Gaza — very close to a deal on Gaza,” he said. “It’s looking like we have a deal on Gaza. We’ll let you know.”
“It’s going to be a deal that will get the hostages back. It’s going to be a deal that ends the war. It’s going to be peace,” Trump continued. “I think we have a deal.”
Hostage-ceasefire talks stalled after Israel’s botched September 9 strike on the Hamas leadership in Doha. However, Trump told reporters Friday that he believed a deal in Gaza is “very close.”