Workers began dismantling installations at Hostages Square in central Tel Aviv on Tuesday, marking a major shift at the site that for nearly two years served as the symbolic center of the effort to bring home Israelis held in Gaza.
The removal of structures at the Shaul Hamelech Street plaza comes after the campaign’s main activities shifted from mass Saturday-night rallies to smaller Friday evening gatherings, coordinated with the family of Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last remaining hostage in Gaza.
Several well-known displays — including the symbolic tunnel, the “Hope” sign, Alon Ohel’s piano, and the large board tracking the time since the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre and kidnappings — remain for now. It is still unclear whether the dismantling marks the square’s final transformation or only a partial one.
Volunteers from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum continued collecting hundreds of signs, while Israelis still stopped to play Ohel’s piano even as crews worked to remove the main stage that hosted weekly demonstrations drawing hundreds of thousands of people.
Friday gatherings will continue at the site for the time being.
'The story has changed'
Dani Bar Giora, CEO of the Hostages Families Forum, said the movement is entering a new phase. “We’re in very challenging days. The mission isn’t over until Ran Gvili returns,” he said. “But it’s not the same kind of struggle anymore. Now it’s about ensuring the agreement is carried out.”
He said the large weekly events no longer serve the campaign’s needs. “We’re also vacating the Check Point building. As for the square, we’re in discussions with the municipality. We don’t yet know what commemoration will look like.”
Bar Giora thanked the Tel Aviv–Jaffa Municipality for its extensive support. “The square is shrinking. Hopefully in a week we’ll rebuild the stage, because we swore to hold a final mass rally when all the hostages are home. We’re waiting for Ran.”
Volunteers reflect on two years of work
Noa, 49, a volunteer at the square since its earliest days, said watching it fold up “feels surreal.” She noted that much of the movement’s fundraising came through the volunteer-run merchandise booth. “On Oct. 8 my heart broke. I saw that the state had disappeared for the evacuees. I stayed because it felt like the most important thing to do.”
She said that while the dismantling is emotional, “here it symbolizes something good. Ran’s family deserves this moment.”
Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, whose body remains in Gaza, has become the focus of the campaign’s final stage. At a Friday gathering, his sister Shira described him as “the first to help and the first to run toward danger. Ran is truly number one.”
Future of Hostages Square remains undecided
The Tel Aviv–Jaffa Municipality said the site remains a symbol of hope and solidarity. “As long as the last hostage has not returned, the municipality will not address questions about renaming the square or altering its character,” it said. “When the time is right, a formal process will begin in consultation with the families.”
For now, dismantling continues — even as many hope it will ultimately be followed by reconstruction for a final rally welcoming home the last hostage.