FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Massive protests in Israel, over 500,000 people in Tel Aviv alone...
Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities were gripped on Sunday by a wave of mass protests, considered among the largest since the start of the Gaza war. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets and squares, calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas and for an agreement to end the bloody conflict that began after the October 7, 2023 attack.
The rallies were organized by the “October Council” and the “Hostage Families Forum,” organizations representing the families of hostages and victims of the Hamas attack. They called the initiative “A Day to Save Lives” and mobilized citizens across the country. In Tel Aviv alone, in “Hostage Square” and the surrounding streets, organizers claim that about 500,000 people gathered. Nationally, they estimate that the turnout could have reached up to a million protesters.
More than 200K Israelis (according to the organizers) protested tonight in Tel Aviv, calling for a deal for the release of the hostages and ending the war in Gaza (Video: Yair Palti) pic.twitter.com/qs9o65CMzx
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) August 17, 2025
Citizens' call: deal now
Protesters carried banners and Israeli flags, loudly demanding that the government reach an agreement on the release of the hostages as soon as possible. “The entire Israeli society is speaking with one voice: we want the release of the hostages and an end to the war,” the Hostage Families Forum said in a statement.
In Jerusalem, hundreds of demonstrators blocked traffic on one of the capital's main arteries, the Begin Highway. Police used water cannons to disperse the crowds, but protests continued in various forms in dozens of other cities.
A strong message to the government
The mass rallies are putting increased pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has come under constant criticism for his handling of the war and hostage negotiations. Organizers say there is no time to waste and that every day of delay could cost lives.
Since October 7, when Hamas militants carried out the worst attack in Israeli history, killing over a thousand people and taking dozens of hostages, their families have been living in uncertainty and anxiety. Many have engaged in ongoing protests, but this latest one is considered the largest to date.
A place in tension
The high turnout figures, around half a million in Tel Aviv alone according to organizers, although still without official confirmation, indicate a deep social discontent. Israelis are demanding not only a deal on the hostages, but also a new approach to the conflict with Hamas, which has caused thousands of casualties in Gaza and deepened Israel's isolation on the international stage.
"We don't want endless war anymore. We want peace, we want the return of the hostages, we want security for our children," one of the protesters in Tel Aviv told local media. /Pamphlet
Lini një Përgjigje