Hundreds hold weekly silent vigil outside IDF headquarters for slain Gaza children

About 300 left-wing protesters hold up candles and pictures of Gazan children said to have been killed by Israel since it resumed hostilities in the Strip on March 18.

The now-weekly silent protest outside the southern entrance to the IDF headquarters on Kaplan Street is on the way from Habima Square to Begin Road, the site of successive anti-government rallies regularly held on Saturday nights. The somber silence of the left-wing protest is usually upended for some 20 minutes as anti-government protesters march from Habima to Begin Road, beating on drums and shouting slogans.

As the anti-government crowd approaches, an organizer of the left-wing protest reminds the activists that this is a silent demonstration.

Some of the protesters walking from Habima to Begin Road quiet down and look closely at the pictures. Others are more skeptical. One woman, speaking to her friend, recounts telling a left-wing activist that Hamas had “murdered [people] like you as well” during the onslaught of October 7, 2023.

After the louder protesters pass, the silent protesters prepare to also march down to Begin Road.

Hundreds of left-wing protesters march outside the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv hoisting candles and pictures of Gazan children killed by Israel pic.twitter.com/huEj75GWK9

— Noam Lehmann (@noamlehmann) May 17, 2025