Hundreds of demonstrators, including families of hostages held in Gaza and former captives, rallied Thursday evening outside the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem as Israel’s security cabinet convened to decide whether to authorize a full military occupation of the Gaza Strip.
The cabinet meeting, described by officials as pivotal, comes amid growing pressure from hostage families and divisions within the political and military leadership over the war’s next phase. Protesters gathered at The Joint Square in the capital, demanding the government pursue a deal with Hamas to secure the hostages’ release and end the nearly two-year war.
(Video: Photo credits: Or Hadar, Ziv Shema Communications, Tzvika Golan, Eilat Markovitz, Ilan Figenbaum, Martin Wilder)
Among the protesters were survivors of Hamas captivity and relatives of those still held hostage since the October 7 attacks. “The military pressure is killing the hostages,” some demonstrators shouted, setting tires ablaze outside Likud Party headquarters at Metzudat Ze’ev in Tel Aviv.
“I’m just a mother begging that my son not be sacrificed,” said Anat Angrest, whose son, Matan Angrest, is among the hostages. “He’s wasting away. He’s being tortured and interrogated. The government has decided to give him up. No one is talking to us—not even today.”
Ilana Gritzewsky, who was held hostage and later released, accused the government of turning its back on the captives. “They decided to sacrifice Matan, my friends, all the hostages. They lied to us. In Nir Oz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to bring everyone home. Now he’s pushing for full occupation, knowing it will lead to their deaths,” she said. “I’m proof hostages come back through deals. There’s no other way.”
In Jerusalem, Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife of hostage Omri Miran, warned that the cabinet’s decision could determine the fate of the captives. “They’re about to make a decision that could be a death sentence for our loved ones. We’re here to support those in the government pushing for a deal,” she said. “Enough. Just enough.”
Protests were also held in Ra’anana and other cities across Israel. At several demonstrations, families of hostages chained themselves together in symbolic protest.
The cabinet session is expected to feature a sharp divide between far-right ministers pushing for a complete occupation of Gaza and others favoring a more limited approach. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir are reportedly urging the government to proceed with a full takeover, regardless of any potential hostage deal. Ben-Gvir is expected to argue that even if Hamas indicates willingness to negotiate in the coming days, Israel must not halt the operation.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Shas party leader Aryeh Deri, who holds no voting power in the cabinet, returned early from overseas trips to take part in the deliberations. Both are expected to align with the military’s position that threatening occupation should be a means to pressure Hamas into agreeing to a deal—not an end goal.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is expected to advise against full occupation, warning it could endanger hostages, exhaust Israel’s military forces, and mire the country in long-term conflict. Zamir supports a more limited operation involving the encirclement of Gaza City and central refugee camps, continued commando raids, and space for negotiations.
Earlier Thursday, Zamir held a multi-front security assessment ahead of the cabinet meeting. “We are not dealing in theory,” he said. “These are matters of life and death. We will continue to operate with responsibility, integrity, and determination.”
While Netanyahu is likely to secure cabinet approval, some ministers are reportedly seeking guarantees that hostages’ lives will not be jeopardized. Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel have previously expressed support for a deal, but it remains unclear how they will vote.
Deri is reportedly attempting to broker a compromise between Netanyahu and the IDF, advocating for a phased military campaign rather than an immediate occupation of the entire Strip. Netanyahu met with Deri ahead of the cabinet session and also held separate consultations with Smotrich and Regev.
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The decision comes amid international scrutiny and concern from top Israeli military officials, with some warning that Israel’s forces are already overextended after nearly two years of high-tempo operations. Defense officials, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, said the army is unprepared for a full-scale occupation due to troop fatigue and strain on reserve forces.
Speaking earlier with FOX News, Netanyahu said Israel does not intend to annex Gaza and that control would be transferred to a transitional authority after Hamas is defeated.
“We have no intention of annexing Gaza or imposing a long-term military regime,” Netanyahu said. “The goal is the destruction of Hamas and the return of our hostages.”