Thousands rally in Israel for Gaza hostages on 600th day of war
Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to support hostages still held in Gaza on the 600th day since the war began, urging a ceasefire to secure their release.
Signs reading "The people with the hostages" were held aloft the packed crowd in the plaza dubbed Hostages Square after darkness fell over the Israeli coastal city.
The meeting point has held regular rallies for the release of hostages since they were seized during Hamas's attack on Israel that triggered the war on October 7, 2023.
"It's been more than 100 days since I was forced to leave my brother behind. As long as Eitan and the other hostages are not back, I am still in captivity," said Yair Horn, who was freed in February but whose brother is still held in Gaza.
"You brought me home, do it again, end this war and bring back the 58 hostages," he added in a plea to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government ended the truce in mid-March and has escalated the military offensive in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas and free the hostages.
Hundreds of people gathered at intersections and on the main highway running through Tel Aviv at 6:29 am, the exact time the unprecedented October 7 attack began.
Signs bearing the number 600 were placed along roads and demonstrations were held throughout the day.
- 'Everything to bring us back' -
Several hundred people gathered at kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, where nearly a quarter of residents were killed or taken hostage.
"During the first days of captivity, I was convinced that (the army) and the State of Israel would do everything to bring us back in a few hours, at most a few days," said Karina Engel-Bart, whose husband was killed in the Hamas attack and is still in Gaza.
"But I was wrong... there are still 58 of them in Gaza and they must be released now," she added.
Engel-Bart was herself held hostage with her two daughters before all three were released during the first truce in the war at the end of November 2023.
Situated near the border with Gaza, Nir Oz still has 14 of its residents held in the Palestinian territory, three of whom are believed to be alive.
On the lawn of the kibbutz, former hostages, relatives of captives and residents mingled with people from across the country.
While there were no placards, the yellow ribbons now associated with the hostages were seen on T-shirts and on the stage where speakers took turns addressing the crowd.
Out of 251 hostages seized during the Hamas attack, 57 remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Hamas also holds the body of a soldier taken captive in a 2014 war.
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