Israel Marks 500 Days Since October 7 Attacks With Protests and Fasts
Marking 500 days since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and the mass hostage-taking that followed, families of the captives and their supporters held nationwide protests and a symbolic fast on Monday. The demonstrations, organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, aimed to maintain pressure on the Israeli government and the international community to secure the release of those still in captivity.
Protesters observed a 500-minute fast—one minute for each day of captivity—culminating in a rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. Throughout the day, activists blocked major roads, including Tel Aviv’s Namir Road, and marched from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem to the Knesset. The movement also extended to Kibbutz Be’eri and Kibbutz Nir Oz, where residents gathered at sites devastated by the Hamas attack.
In Jerusalem, activists displayed signs throughout the city counting the number of days since the hostages were taken. The initiative was inspired by Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hirsch Goldberg-Polin was kidnapped from the Nova music festival and later killed in captivity. For 500 days, she has worn a sticker displaying the number of days since his abduction—a gesture that has become a symbol of remembrance and advocacy.
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Freed hostage Ohad Ben Ami urged mass participation in the demonstrations, recalling that the knowledge of people fighting for his release sustained him during captivity. “You have no idea how much strength it would give to those left behind,” he said.
Other relatives of hostages expressed frustration and anguish over the prolonged captivity. “We will fast 500 minutes for the captives,” said Levi Ben-Baruch, uncle of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, adding, “They’ve already been fasting for 500 days.” Sylvia Cunio, whose two sons remain hostages, called for immediate action: “I want my sons now, now! Don’t abandon us.”
At a gathering in Be’eri, former hostage Raya Rotem, who was held in Gaza for 54 days, spoke about the trauma of captivity. “What happens to a person who is kept there for 500 days?” she asked. Others emphasized the urgency of retrieving the bodies of hostages who have died in captivity.
Since October 7, Hamas has held dozens of hostages in Gaza, including the remains of at least 36 individuals. While some have been released in hostage deals, 70 remain in captivity. Families and activists vowed to continue their efforts until all are returned.
