From the Liveblog of
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Protesters rally near homes of Deri and Gallant after Hostages Square demonstration cancelled
Cnaan Lidor is The Times of Israel's Jewish World reporter
Marking over 300 days since Israeli hostages were taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists, demonstrators urging their return gather outside the homes of at least three senior coalition members.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum cancelled its weekly rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and instead called on demonstrators to gather outside the home of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Amikam near Hadera, and by the Jerusalem home of Shas party leader Aryeh Deri.
The forum represents relatives of hostages who back a hostage-for-ceasefire deal and has held a rally at Hostages Square every Saturday night for the past several months. This weekend’s action is taking place amid concerns of a retaliatory attack by Iran and Hezbollah for the assassinations of Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Teheran.
Separately, hundreds of anti-government protesters gather outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea, as they have on weekends in recent months.
As in past weeks, thousands of people are also protesting opposite the Kirya army base in Tel Aviv on Kaplan Street. Among the protesters is Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan in presumed to be held in Gaza. “Stop the death, stop the bereavement, human lives above all,” she chants with other hostage families and protesters at the rally.
Other rallies are taking place in Haifa; at Hemed Junction near Jerusalem and in the city itself; in Hadera; at Amiad Junction in the Galilee; and in Ness Ziona near Rehovot.
