Protesters to rally this evening for hostage deal: ‘They can’t survive another winter in Hamas death tunnels’

The relatives of those held hostage in Gaza call for protesters to rally in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square at 8 p.m. this evening to mark one year since the temporary ceasefire in Gaza that saw 105 captives released.

“A full year has passed since the remaining 101 hostages in captivity believed their freedom was imminent, yet no further deals have materialized,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum says in a statement.

“We must save them! They cannot survive another winter in Hamas’s death tunnels,” the forum says.

Speakers are ⁠to include Keren Munder, who was released in the deal last year along with her mother Ruti and young son Ohad. Her father Avraham was also kidnapped but was killed in Gaza.

⁠Also due to speak is released hostage Ilana Gritzewsky, whose partner Matan Zangauker is still held hostage, and ⁠Chen Goldstein-Almog, who was released along with her three children Agam, Gal, and Tal. Her husband Nadav and daughter Yam were killed on October 7.

⁠Liron Mor, the aunt of 5-year-old Avigail Idan who was taken hostage to Gaza and released last year, will also speak. Mor and her husband adopted the little girl and her siblings after their parents Smadar and Roee were killed on October 7.

⁠Thomas Hand, whose daughter Emily was taken hostage and was freed in the temporary ceasefire, will also speak.

The demonstration will be the first since the Home Front lifted restrictions on the number of people permitted to gather in central Israel after the ceasefire with Hezbollah, put in place at the end of September following the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah.