Tens of thousands of anti-war protesters packed Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday to call for an end to the Gaza war and a return of the remaining hostages.
“It’s big, it’s vibrant, it’s noisy,” CNN’s Nic Robertson, who is at the scene, said of the atmosphere.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum estimated that 30,000 people came out.
Many held signs showing pictures of the hostages that said, “Bring them home now,” a frequent refrain during the weekly protests. Others held signs that appealed to US President Donald Trump to step in and demand an end to the war.
One sign said, “President Trump, end the crisis in Gaza! Nobel is waiting!”
Trump was part of the effort to secure a ceasefire after 12 days of conflict between Israel and Iran. He also demanded that the Israeli military stop what the government said would be a major attack on Iran, prompted by a ballistic missile launch at northern Israel after the ceasefire went into effect. Israel instead targeted a radar north of Tehran.
Trump’s perceived ability to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hand has led many protesters to renew their calls for him to step in and force an end to the war in Gaza.
Ruby Chen — the mother of Itay Chen, who was killed in the October 7, 2023, attacks and whose body is still being held in Gaza — said the right thing to do was to “return all the hostages, even at the price of ending the war.”
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