Israel Marches for the Captives: ‘A Deal Now or Never’

Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather Saturday night in Tel Aviv to demand the return of hostages still held in Gaza and to call for an end to the ongoing war.

Local media say the demonstration will begin at Hostages Square and proceed in a march toward the U.S. Embassy office in the city.

This comes as organizers aim to increase pressure on Israeli and international leaders to reach a comprehensive agreement that secures the release of all captives.

The event, organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, comes amid growing frustration over the lack of a full resolution nearly ten months after the Hamas-led assault on Israel.

The group said the march would send a unified message that “an overwhelming majority of the Israeli public demands a deal, now.”

In a pre-rally statement, the Forum emphasized that the demand for a full-scale agreement to bring home the remaining hostages transcends political divisions.

The forum believes the demand also reflects a broad national consensus.

Saturday’s rally will feature emotional speeches from individuals with deeply personal connections to the crisis.

Doron Steinbrecher, who was freed from Hamas captivity in February during the previous hostage exchange, is set to speak in English at Hostages Square.

She will be joined by Ilay David and Nadav Rudaeff, whose brother and father remain among the captives.

At the U.S. Embassy, further addresses will be delivered by Macabit Mayer, the aunt of hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, and Omri Shtivi, the brother of hostage Idan Shtivi.

The demonstrations are not limited to Tel Aviv. Parallel protests are scheduled across the country, including at the Sha’ar HaNegev Junction in the south, in Carmei Gat, and in Jerusalem.

This underscores the nationwide demand for a resolution to the hostage crisis.

The rallies coincide with renewed international efforts to reach a ceasefire deal and secure another hostage release.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that a partial breakthrough could be imminent, hinting that 10 additional living hostages might be freed soon. “We got most of the hostages back.

We’re going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly,” Trump stated during a dinner with lawmakers.

He credited his special envoy Steve Witkoff for ongoing negotiations.

Israeli and Hamas representatives have been engaged in indirect talks in Doha since July 6, discussing a U.S.-supported proposal that includes a 60-day ceasefire.

The initial stage would involve the release of 10 living hostages along with the remains of 18 individuals killed in captivity.

This phased approach has faced criticism from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which argues that all hostages should be released at once.

According to the deal under discussion, further negotiations would occur during the temporary truce, aimed at reaching a permanent ceasefire.

If a final agreement is secured, the remaining 22 hostages would be released.

Separate from the main rally, another protest will take place just a block away near the IDF headquarters entrance on Begin Road.

There, anti-government demonstrators, many of them relatives of hostages, are expected to express anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the crisis.

Protesters accuse him of prolonging the conflict to appease far-right coalition partners, avoiding military draft reform for the ultra-Orthodox, and dodging responsibility for the failures that led to the October 7 attack.

That attack, launched by Hamas and affiliated groups, saw around 1,200 people killed and 251 hostages taken from southern Israel into Gaza.

According to Israeli authorities, 50 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, including the bodies of at least 28 individuals confirmed dead.

Twenty are believed to be alive, and the condition of two others is uncertain.

Hamas is also reportedly holding the remains of an Israeli soldier killed in 2014.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll in Gaza continues to climb.

The Hamas-run health ministry claims that over 58,000 people have been killed or are missing since the war began, though the figures are unverified and do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Israel, for its part, reports killing around 20,000 Hamas fighters in Gaza and 1,600 terrorists on Israeli soil during the October 7 attack.

The Israeli military death toll stands at 454.

As tensions persist, Saturday’s mass mobilization reflects the growing urgency felt by many Israelis to bring the hostages home and find an end to a conflict that has exacted a devastating human cost on all sides.

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