'They're still alive, now is the time'

On 3rd day of 4-day march from Tel Aviv, hostage families near Jerusalem, demand deal

Hundreds join loved ones of those held hostage by Hamas since October 7 on penultimate day of trek to pressure government amid apparent window of opportunity in ceasefire talks

Family members of Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip lead a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem calling for a deal to secure their release, July 12, 2024. (Pro-Democracy Movement/Oded Engel)
Family members of Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip lead a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem calling for a deal to secure their release, July 12, 2024. (Pro-Democracy Movement/Oded Engel)

Family members of Israelis held hostage in Gaza, along with hundreds of supporters, set off from Shoresh in central Israel on Friday morning for the third leg of a four-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, calling for a deal with Hamas to secure the release of their loved ones.

The group marched in blistering heat down Route 1, Israel’s main highway, collectively counting aloud to 279, the number of days that the hostages in Gaza have spent in captivity since they were abducted by the Palestinian terror group on October 7.

The group also chanted: “They’re still alive, now is the time for agreements!” and “The government is responsible for the lives of the hostages!” They held a banner reading “Marching for a deal!”

Many more people participated in the march than the previous day, as Friday is generally not a full workday in Israel.

The heat remained intense, however, at around 33 degrees Celsius (92° Fahrenheit). One participant, described by the Pro-Democracy protest group as a “Good Samaritan,” traveled south from the Upper Galilee with a small water cannon to provide some relief.

At the front of the procession was Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan, 24, was kidnapped by terrorists from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Natalie Zangauker, Matan’s sister, was also present at the march on Friday.

Also leading the procession were Zahiro Mor, whose uncle Avraham Munder, 78, was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, and Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod, a 19-year-old soldier, was abducted from the Nahal Oz military base.

The Zangaukers wore t-shirts with Matan’s face on them, while Cohen walked with a photo of Nimrod in his hands.

The four leaders represent three of the dozen or so families that organized the march, under the name “Kulanu Hatufim” (“We Are All Hostages.”) The group is known for its fiery protests outside IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, and for blocking the Ayalon Highway every Saturday night.

Supporters welcome the families of the hostages as they approach the Hemed Bridge outside Jerusalem, July 12, 2024. (Pro-Democracy Movement/Sharon Ben-Porath)

Also present to support the march was a delegation of Arab youth, all members of the General Federation of Working and Studying Youth, a liberal Zionist youth movement, Kulanu Hatufim said on X.

Before setting off, the group created a display on the highway out of what appeared to be cardboard, reading “We seek our brethren,” a reference to the Book of Genesis.

Dozens of left-wing activists also appealed to religious sources, wearing shirts that referred to the Jewish commandment to redeem captives.

It is believed that 116 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza — not all of them alive.

In November, a hostage-ceasefire deal secured the release of 105 civilian hostages, as Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners over the course of a temporary one-week ceasefire. No deal has been struck in the eight months since, despite many rounds of negotiations.

Prospects for a deal appear to have risen in recent days, however, after Hamas dropped its demand that Israel agree upfront to end the war.

Charlie Summers contributed to this report.

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