Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Habima Square on Saturday evening to demand the release of the 59 hostages still held by Hamas, following the release of a new captivity video of hostage Maxim Herkin and the IDF's decision to expand its ground offensive in Gaza.
The rally, organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, warned that intensifying military action in Gaza could jeopardize the lives of both living captives and the remains of those killed. “We are raising a red flag—Israel is on a path to sinking deeper into the Gaza quagmire,” the forum said in a statement. “Expanding the war is a grave mistake. Stop this before it’s too late.”
At the rally’s central event at Hostage Square, former captives and community leaders addressed the crowd. “As a people and a nation, we are obligated to bring them home,” said former hostage Omer Shem Tov. “We owe them their freedom and independence.” Another former hostage, Gadi Mozes, spoke at a parallel gathering in Karmit Gat, organized by the Nir Oz community, criticizing the government’s approach. “This war is futile and wasting the nation’s resources,” Moses said. “Two million Gazans won’t just disappear.”
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In a statement Saturday night, the Hostages Forum said families spent the Sabbath gripped by “agonizing anxiety” over their loved ones' fate and warned that the new military push, which was approved in principle by Israeli leaders this weekend, could further endanger the hostages. “The decision to escalate now, without securing the return of our brothers and sisters, will be a disaster for generations,” the statement read.
The group also highlighted the human toll on reservists and their families, as tens of thousands are being called up for renewed operations. “This decision will cost lives—of hostages and soldiers alike—and extract a steep price from thousands of reservists and their families,” the statement said. “We call on the Israeli government and military commanders: Stop this mistake. An agreement must be reached to bring everyone home.”