Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 17, 2025
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Police say number arrested at hostage protests now up to 38
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A member of the Israeli security forces arrests a demonstrator, during an anti-government protest demanding a deal to release Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Hamas since October 7, 2023, in Tel Aviv on August 17, 2025. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)
Police say they have arrested 38 people across Israel for “disturbing public order and endangering public safety” as protesters demonstrate nationwide.
This morning saw a wave of mass demonstrations calling for a hostage and ceasefire deal, in which some protesters set fires on major roads and blocked traffic while calling for an end to 22 months of war in Gaza.
Though many protests in major cities have died down, they are expected to pick back up again this evening, as part of a daylong strike staged by the families of Hamas hostages and victims of the October 7 massacre.
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