Hostage Families Unite With Anti-Government Protests, Demanding Action

Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday night, marking a significant shift in the ongoing protests led by the families of hostages held by Hamas. In an announcement, Eli Albag, whose daughter Liri is among those captured, declared the end of separate gatherings at Hostages’ Square in Tel Aviv. Instead, he urged everyone to merge with the broader anti-government protests, signaling a new phase of intensified demonstrations, a representation of the frustration felt among the families and supporters of the hostages following the government’s inability to secure their release since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7.

The protests, now unified in their cause, saw significant confrontations with law enforcement, particularly in Tel Aviv, where major roads were blocked, and police resorted to water cannons to manage the crowds. Similar scenes of defiance unfolded in Jerusalem and Caesarea, close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence, where chants demanding his resignation echoed through the night.

Speakers at the protests, including Einav Zangauker and Hadas Calderon, parents of Hamas captives, directly blamed Netanyahu for obstructing efforts to negotiate the hostages’ release, calling his actions “incomprehensible and criminal.” The sentiment was amplified by the presence of former hostages who criticized the government’s approach to negotiations and urged for immediate action to bring their loved ones home. As the protests on Tel Aviv’s Kaplan Street and Hostages’ Square concluded, demonstrators converged on Begin Street, where reservist groups among the protesters reiterated the call for the release of hostages.