People attend a rally calling for the end of the war and the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, July 24, 2025. (AP/Ariel Schalit)
Thousands of people cram into Tel Aviv’s Habima Square and adjacent streets for a protest demanding an “end to the war and return home of the hostages,” according to large screens set up across the plaza. The crowd, a mishmash of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Jewish critics, is so dense that cellular service is sluggish.
The rally begins with a moment of silence for fallen soldiers, and a prayer for the safety of the troops and release of the hostages.
Closest to the central stage, protesters wave Israeli flags.
People attend a rally calling for the end of the war and the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as they gather in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, July 24, 2025. (AP/Ariel Schalit)
“There is no forgiveness for the angels of death,” protesters chant against the premier.
On the opposite end of the square, left-wing protesters hold up signs accusing Israel of war crimes and genocide in Gaza and calling on soldiers to refuse to serve.
A few yards down is a group hoisting signs declaring themselves as adherents of a “dignified Religious Zionism.”
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 24, 2025
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