Ten of thousands of Israelis throughout the country went out to protest on Saturday night, demanding that the Israeli government continue the hostage release deal to bring the 59 that are still held captive in the Gaza Strip back home, 575 days after Hamas's October 7 massacres.
Among the participants at the rally at Tel Aviv's Hostage Square were former hostages and soldiers who were wounded during the war. Among the released hostages at the rally were Omer Shem Tov, Mia Regev, and Itay Regev.
"We stand here tonight at the Hostage Square – not only as people who experienced the unimaginable, but as the voice of those who cannot be here with us." Shem Tov said. Our siblings are there. Our siblings were left behind, waiting to be rescued from that terrible hell. The only obligation we have as a people, as a nation, is to bring them home. We owe them this independence, this freedom.
Maya Regev said: "We cannot celebrate true independence while dozens of Israelis are denied freedom, denied a voice, denied protection, sitting terrified in these very moments."
Her brother, Itay, said: "We returned to our normal lives, but couldn't truly move forward and heal ourselves when a huge part of our hearts sits there waiting to be rescued. We received independence, but didn't feel truly free. It's difficult, almost impossible, to speak of independence when we know 59 people, our brothers and sisters, have lost all their freedom for 575 long, difficult, frightening, and endless days."
Also in attendance at the square was Meital Weiss, daughter of captivity survivor Shiri Weiss and Ilan Weiss, Yeela David, sister of Evyatar David, who is still in captivity.
Demonstrators were also seen marching at Begin Gate in the city, and another event where mass protesters gathered at Habima Square.
What about demonstrations that took place outside of Tel Aviv?
Protests were also seen at King George Street in Jerusalem and in Ness Ziona.
Demonstration in Jerusalem sees protesters march on King George Street on Saturday, March 3, 2025, 575 days into the Israel-Hamas war (credit: Changing Direction Israel)
In Ra'anana, Danny Elgert, brother of slain hostage Itzik Elgert, spoke in front of thousands of protesters for a hostage release deal, and also took to the streets in response to an incident where right-wing rioters clashed with attendees at a joint Israeli-Palestinian memorial ceremony in the city on Tuesday. One attendee who was wounded at the Tuesday ceremony, Rachel Greenspan, told demonstrators on Saturday, "I was hit in the head with a hard object and miraculously escaped without serious injuries – we were in danger not because of terrorists, but because of racist, extremist, and unbridled Jews."
Highway 4 into the Ra'anana Intersection was closed to traffic shortly before the protest, with traffic being diverted to Kfar Saba or Highway 531.
At Kfar Saba, former hostage Iair Horn was seen with his mother Ruti at a demonstration for a hostage release deal. His brother, Eitan, is still a hostage in captivity in the Palestinian enclave.
Uri Sela contributed to this report.
