Published on
Large crowds gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening to rally for the release of hostages in Gaza, as the second day of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came to an end.
An estimated 100,000 people gathered on the so-called Hostages Square, where they cheered US President Donald Trump for securing the deal. Some also booed their own Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner addressed the weekly rally Israelis hope would be their last.
“To the hostages themselves, our brothers and sisters, you are coming home,” Witkoff told the crowd.
Kushner said they would celebrate on Monday, when Israel’s military has said the 48 hostages still in Gaza would be freed. The government believes around 20 remain alive. Kushner also noted the “suffering” in Gaza.
The US president’s daughter Ivanka Trump also addresssed the crowd. “The president wanted me to share, as he has with so many of you personally, that he sees you, he hears you, he stands with you always,” she said.
Israelis hugged and took selfies. Many waved US flags. “It’s a really happy time, but we know that there are going to be some incredibly difficult moments coming,” said one person in the crowd, Yaniv Peretz.
“Now is a critical time. What is required of our members of Knesset, members of the government, and the one who heads it is zero mistakes, zero mishaps. It’s time to finish and send them home now,” said Yaira Gutman, whose daughter Tamar was killed in Hamas’ attack at the Nova festival on 7 October, 2023.
Hostage survivor Tal Shoham called for peace between Israelis and Palestinians following a devastating two years of war.
“If we learn how to find the similarities between us instead, unity will grow,” he said.
The agreement says mediators and the ICRC will facilitate the exchange of the hostages and prisoners without public ceremonies or media coverage.
Israel is to free some 250 Palestinians serving prison sentences, as well as around 1,700 people seized from Gaza the past two years and held without charge.
The Israel Prison Service said prisoners have been transferred to deportation facilities at Ofer and Ktzi’ot prisons, “awaiting instructions from the political echelon.”
Some 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage during Hamas’ 7 October attack in 2023. Most of the hostages were released in previous brief ceasefire agreements throughout the two-year war.
In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza were killed, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
The enclave has been struck by famine and around 90% of the population has been displaced, their homes destroyed in Israeli bombings.
The war has triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.
Additional sources • AP
