From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 17, 2025
WATCH: Mock wedding held for hostage Matan Zangauker and his girlfriend, former captive Ilana Gritzewsky
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.
A mock wedding is being staged at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv for Ilana Gritzewsky and her partner, Matan Zangauker, who remains in Hamas captivity, as part of the 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.
Both Gritzewsky and Zangauker were abducted from their home in Nir Oz on October 7. Gritzewsky was released in November 2023.
Wearing a white wedding dress and veil, Gritzewsky walks beneath a chuppah to the main stage, accompanied by John Polin, the father of murdered hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Polin; Yehuda Cohen, father of hostage Nimrod Cohen; Michel Illouz, father of hostage Guy Illouz, who was murdered in captivity; and Yitzhak Horn, father of hostage Eitan Horn, hold the canopy aloft.
Einav Zangauker, Matan’s mother, in a black headscarf, holds a poster of her son next to Gritzewsky underneath the chuppah.
“I love you,” Gritzewsky says, addressing Matan. “I’m fighting for you until you and all of the hostages are back. We’ll bring you back alive. We’ll heal together.”
Shortly after the ceremony ended, missile alert sirens sounded and attendees ttok cover. A missile fired from Yemen was intercepted, and there were no reports of injury or damage.
The Times of Israel Community.