From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 17, 2025
At least 220,000 gather in Tel Aviv for main rally for hostages
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
Some 220,000 people have gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and the surrounding streets for a rally held by hostage family members, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, citing police estimates.
Some 150,000 people in the square were joined by another 70,000 who marched from Savidor Train Station alongside hostage family members to the rally.
This will be the concluding event to a daylong protest and nationwide strike opposing the government’s decision to expand the war in Gaza, rather than negotiate a deal to return the remaining hostages.
Thousands of people have converged on Tel Aviv in convoys from across the country to show solidarity with the hostage families and protest the government.
The Times of Israel Community.