1000’s of Israelis are anticipated to protest throughout the nation Saturday evening towards the federal government’s plan to take management of Gaza Metropolis after 22 months of battle towards Hamas, as hostage households name for a normal strike in opposition to the plan that they warn will mark a demise knell for the hostages.
“A brilliant pink flag is waving over the federal government’s choice to sacrifice our family members,” mentioned the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board in a press launch on its upcoming rallies. The Discussion board urged decision-makers: “Attain a complete hostage deal, cease the battle, deliver us again our family members — their time is up.”
The cupboard decided in a single day Thursday-Friday to grab Gaza Metropolis regardless of the navy’s objection that the transfer would imperil the captives, needlessly endanger troops, and deepen the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. The choice, which has confronted intense criticism at home and abroad, appeared to backtrack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s said intent to overcome all of Gaza.
Additionally, on Saturday, Anat Angrest, whose son Matan Angrest is likely one of the remaining hostages, referred to as for a normal strike to oppose the choice.
“Pricey moms, mates, heads of the financial system, the battle will not be solely ours – the households of the hostages,” she wrote in a put up on X. “Will you be with me once I name for every thing to come back to a cease, to strike?” she requested.
“It was determined to broaden the battle and conquer even at the price of Matan’s life. And silence kills…” she wrote.
Anat Angrest, whose son Matan Angrest is held hostage in Gaza, speaks at a protest demanding a complete deal to launch captives, in Jerusalem, August 7, 2025. (Courtesy)
The Households Discussion board, which represents nearly all of the hostage households, will maintain rallies in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Shaar HaNegev Junction within the south and Kiryat Gat, with smaller gatherings in dozens of different areas.
After the central rally on Hostages Sq. in Tel Aviv, households and their supporters will maintain a protest march across the close by IDF headquarters, the Discussion board mentioned.
Forward of the rally, hostage households are additionally set to carry a “starvation show” on the Sq. wherein they’ll sit round a desk set for a meal of canned beans — the meals served to hostage Evyatar David in propaganda footage launched by Hamas final week that confirmed him severely emaciated.
Hostage households and their supporters rally at Hostages Sq. in Tel Aviv on August 2, 2025. The display reveals, from proper to left, photos of hostage Evyatar David earlier than his abduction; in a propaganda video from February 2025; and in a propaganda video from July 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Set to talk at Hostages Sq. are Eliya Cohen, who was launched from Hamas captivity in February as a part of the final truce-hostage deal, and his girlfriend Ziv Abud, who had campaigned for his launch; Sharon Aloni Cunio, who was launched along with her younger twin daughters within the weeklong November 2023 ceasefire and whose husband David Cunio stays in captivity; Ilana Gritzewsky, who was additionally launched within the November deal and whose boyfriend Matan Zangauker stays in captivity; Lishay Miran Lavi, spouse of hostage Omri Miran; Nira Sharabi, spouse of slain hostage Yossi Sharabi and sister-in-law of launched hostage Eli Sharabi; and Yuval Dancyg, son of slain hostage Alex Dancyg.
Anti-government protesters and hostage households will even rally a block away from Hostages Sq., in entrance of the Start Street entrance to the IDF headquarters.
Israeli-Palestinian socialist collective Standing Collectively mentioned it will rally shortly beforehand on the adjoining Shaul Hamelech gentle rail station, in addition to different areas together with Jerusalem and Haifa, calling to “refuse the occupation of Gaza.” The group additionally staged anti-war demonstrations in Arab communities in Haifa, Majd al-Krum and Baqa al-Gharbiya on Friday.
The protests comply with fiery demonstrations by hostage households and their supporters in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Thursday, as the cupboard convened to make its choice.
Terror teams within the Gaza Strip are holding 50 hostages, together with 49 of the 251 kidnapped within the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, which sparked the battle in Gaza. They embody the our bodies of at the least 28 confirmed useless by the IDF.
Protesters demanding a deal to finish the battle in Gaza and launch hostages held by Hamas gentle a bonfire in entrance of the Likud occasion headquarters, in Tel Aviv, August 7, 2025. (Ido Lempert/Professional-Democracy Protest Motion)
Twenty are believed to be alive, and there are grave issues for the well-being of two others, Israeli officers have mentioned. Hamas can be holding the physique of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.
The Hamas-run Gaza well being ministry says greater than 60,000 folks within the Strip have been killed or are presumed useless within the preventing thus far, although the toll can’t be verified and doesn’t differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January and one other 1,600 terrorists inside Israel through the October 7 onslaught.
Israel has mentioned it seeks to attenuate civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas makes use of Gaza’s civilians as human shields, preventing from civilian areas, together with houses, hospitals, colleges, and mosques.
Israel’s toll within the floor offensive towards Hamas in Gaza and in navy operations alongside the border with the Strip stands at 459. The toll consists of two law enforcement officials and three Protection Ministry civilian contractors.
