Among the speakers at the rally was Eli Sharabi, a former hostage who was freed in the latest prisoner exchange. In an emotional address delivered in English, Sharabi appealed directly to U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he met after his release, urging him to help broker a new agreement to free the hostages still held by Hamas, including Sharabi’s brother, Yossi, who has died in captivity.
Former hostage Eli Sharabi addresses US President Donald Trump in a speech at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv
(Video: Satview)
“The window of opportunity to bring home all 50 hostages—living and dead—is open now, and it won't be for long,” Sharabi said. “President Trump, being in those tunnels is hell. Thank you for bringing me—and so many others—back home. We need your help now to bring back my brother Yossi and 49 other hostages. Your vision for a new Middle East is possible only when all hostages are back home.”
The demonstration is part of a series of weekly rallies that have taken place since the October 2023 attacks, as pressure continues to mount on the government to finalize a deal for the hostages’ release.
Sharabi opened with a deeply personal reflection on the loss that continues to shape his life. “I stand here tonight not as a representative of a movement, not on behalf of any organization, and not to give a speech,” he said. “I stand here as a widower. A bereaved father. A bereaved brother. A friend. A citizen.”
Sharabi paid tribute to his wife Lianne, a British citizen “who fell in love with me and this country,” and their daughters Noiya and Yahel—“girls whose smiles, sensitivity and kindness defined their way of life.” All three were murdered on October 7. “A whole family was annihilated. Entire lives were cut short. A home collapsed in an instant.”
“I stand here not only for those who are no longer with us. I stand for those who are still waiting—for those we can and must save,” he said, referring to his brother Yossi, whose body has yet to be returned. “Each passing day deepens the pain, grief and loss. Alon, my dear friend, beautiful and gentle-hearted artist, still waits in the darkness of the tunnel. I promised you I would not rest until you are free,” he said, referring to hostage Alon Ohel, who was held captive alongside Sharabi.
Sharabi called for the immediate release of the hostages, warning, “The moment our hearts stop beating for them, we cease to be a nation. This is not a political issue. It's not about left or right. It’s a matter of morality. A matter of humanity. A matter of the heart.”
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Addressing Israeli leaders directly, he urged humility: “You were elected to serve this people, with modesty. Arrogance brought disaster upon us. We must not return to that pattern. There are still hostages in Gaza. Every day that passes is a day we won’t get back. We cannot afford more silence, more delay, more ‘after we win.’ This war must end, for our brothers in captivity, for our soldiers, for our people.”
“The real victory,” he continued, “will come when everyone is home, when children can laugh and play with their father again, when parents can embrace their sons, when siblings can sleep without nightmares, when the light returns to the eyes of those who’ve nearly lost it. I live with grief. I carry it with me always—alongside life, not instead of it.”
He thanked the families of the hostages, whom he described as “the pillar of fire leading the camp,” and the crowd who came to the square: “Thanks to you, the heart of this nation still beats. Thanks to you, we are still worthy of being called a people. You are the light in the darkness.”
To a roaring ovation, he concluded: “We will hold hands—in light and in darkness. We will not stop. We will not be silent. We will not surrender. Until all—every last one—returns home. This is not a dream. This is a mission. And it will be fulfilled. Thank you.”
The demonstrations came as optimism around a potential hostage deal waned amid reports of stalled talks with Hamas. Palestinian sources and figures close to the negotiations said the talks had not collapsed but were “stuck” due to disagreements over the scope of the proposed IDF withdrawal from Gaza during a ceasefire.
According to those sources, Israel is insisting on maintaining control over 40% of the Gaza Strip during the truce. An Israeli political source countered that “Hamas rejected the Qatari proposal, refuses to compromise and remains entrenched in its rejection—while Israel has shown a willingness to be flexible in the negotiations.”