TEL AVIV: Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered beneath a screen in Tel Aviv marking 735 days since Hamas took hostages to Gaza, finally daring to hope a ceasefire will herald an end to their ordeal.
“My emotions are immense, there are no words to describe them — for me, for us, for all of Israel, which wants the hostages home and waits to see them all return,” said Einav Zangauker, mother of 25-year-old hostage Matan Zangauker.
“We finally feel hope, but we cannot and will not stop now,” added Zairo Shachar Mohr Munder.
The body of his uncle, Abraham Munder — abducted on October 7, 2023, during Hamas’s unprecedented assault on Israel by air, sea, and land — was recovered by the Israeli army in Gaza in August.
“All hostages must come home — the living and the dead,” he said during the rally, organized by families of the captives.
At Tel Aviv’s central “Hostage Square,” many in the crowd wore T-shirts bearing the faces of those still held in Gaza and who could be released Monday.
Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement on Friday, brokered by US President Donald Trump, marking a major step toward ending two years of devastating war in the Palestinian territory.
Under the deal, Hamas has until noon on Monday to hand over 47 remaining Israeli hostages — living and dead — from the 251 abducted two years ago.
The remains of one more hostage, held in Gaza since 2014, are also expected to be returned.
In exchange for their release, Israel is to free hundreds of prisoners.
- ‘Thank you, Trump’ -
“Donald Trump! You have made history,” declared Efrat Machikawa, niece of Gadi Moses, who was freed after 482 days in captivity, drawing applause from the crowd.
“You stood by our side, by our families’ sides, when we needed it most. You showed our nation and the entire world what true commitment looks like. Now it’s time to finish what we started!” she said.
A few American flags waved among Israeli ones in the square.
Suddenly, a cheer went through the crowd. “Witkoff! It’s Witkoff!” some shouted, as the US President’s peace envoy took to the stage.
“To the hostages themselves: you are coming home,” Witkoff said, prompting applause and cheers from the crowd.
Addressing the families of the hostages, he added: “Your courage has moved the world.”
Earlier on Saturday he also visited the Gaza Strip along with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Both Kushner and his wife, the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump also addressed the cheering crowd, which chanted: “Thank You, Trump! Thank You, Trump!“
The crowd cheered Trump’s name enthusiastically, but there was anger when Witkoff tried to praise Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many of the families feel has placed the hostages at unnecessary risk.
Maia Kampeas, holding a large American flag, said she felt a sense of deep emotion and gratitude toward the US leader.
“We are very thankful to Donald Trump for his support and strength,” she told AFP.
Another member of the crowd, Benjy Maor said he had attended the Saturday night rallies every week for two years “to show solidarity with the hostage families and to make my voice heard calling for an end to the war.”
“Finally, we feel a little optimism,” he said.
“But despite the joy surrounding the hostages’ release, this is a deeply complex moment. Some families may be preparing funerals for relatives killed two years ago by Hamas, while others celebrate the return of loved ones still alive.”
Two earlier truces in November 2023 and early 2025 also led to the release of hostages and bodies of captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, before they collapsed in more fighting.
Further rounds of negotiations are expected to follow to implement the Trump peace plan, aimed at achieving lasting stability.
“In the short term, we’ll see the hostages coming home,” said Maor. “But I remain deeply concerned about the situation in this region.”
