Israel protests escalate as families demand hostage release

Israel’s Tel Aviv was the scene of a major demonstration, as thousands joined a nationwide “Day of Struggle” organised by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Africanews via Euronews reported on August 27th.

The rally at Hostages Square carried a particular weight as Sharon Aloni Cunio, a former hostage, addressed the crowd. She insisted that an agreement for hostage release had already been drawn up and urged the government to enact it immediately.

The hostage issue has defined Israeli politics since Hamas’s October 7th 2023 assault, in which 251 people were taken captive and roughly 1,200 were killed. Although previous temporary truces secured releases, 50 people are still being held in Gaza. Officials estimate fewer than half remain alive.

Meanwhile, Israeli intelligence data suggested that by May 2025 the effect of Israel’s operations in the enclave caused 53,000 deaths, of which, 83% appear to be civilians – a shockingly high percentage unprecedented in modern conflicts.

The unrest in Tel Aviv was not an isolated moment but part of a widening campaign. On August 17th, large crowds were at Hostages Square demanding a ceasefire and warning that an expanded military push into Gaza City could cost the lives of the remaining captives.

On July 24th, Israel’s Habima Square hosted another mass rally where demonstrators pressed the government to agree to a truce.

Egypt recently urged Israel to accept a 60-day ceasefire plan already accepted by Hamas, which envisions captive releases. Cairo’s involvement highlights the international dimension of the crisis and amplifies calls from within Israel for leaders to pursue negotiation over further escalation.

At the same time, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate as a number of aid groups, experts, and the United Nations have warned of a critical hunger crisis in Gaza, with diminishing supplies of fortified milk and nutritious pastes driving a sharp rise in malnutrition.