'It's now or never,' proclaims a banner held by crowds rallying in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, urging the implementation of US President Donald Trump's deal to free all hostages from Gaza and end the war, October 4, 2025. (Amir Goldstein / Hostages Families Forum)
Tens of thousands gather at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square and hundreds more outside the IDF headquarters, a block away, to rally for a Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal as US President Donald Trump’s proposal appears to pick up steam.
A huge placard proclaims: “It’s Now Or Never.”
“There’s a deal on the table, it’s been there the whole time,” chant protesters outside the IDF headquarters’ Begin Road entrance.
A smaller, left-wing protest takes place on the Begin-Shaul HaMelech intersection, between the two other demonstrations, with activists, many of them from binational socialist outfit Standing Together, silently holding signs accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Across the street from them on Begin, where protesters pass through to any of the three demonstrations, a handful of right-wing activists taunt protesters, accusing them of being elitists who have made the hostages’ release less probable while ignoring soldiers who were killed in Gaza.
Crowds rally in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square urging the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s deal to free all hostages from Gaza and end the war, October 4, 2025. (Tal A.M / Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)
“Trump and Bibi, the kings, are going to bring back the hostages and then what will you complain about? Cilantro?” asks a megaphone-wielding right-wing activist.
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From the Liveblog of
Saturday, October 4, 2025
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