Israeli protesters gathered in Tel Aviv on Thursday to demand the government reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal as they marked 300 days since Hamas’ devastating October 7 attack on Israel. Hostages’ families were joined by a sea of supporters holding images of their loved ones at Hostages Square as they urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring them home.
At least 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others abducted to Gaza in Hamas’ October 7 assault, according to Israeli authorities. Israel’s military response in the strip has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians and injured over 90,000, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. As of early July, nearly 2 million people had been displaced in Gaza – almost the entire population, according to UN figures.
There are 111 hostages still in Gaza, including 39 believed to be dead, according to data from Netanyahu’s office. Many families have repeatedly slammed the prime minister for failing to secure their release. Anat Angrest, mother of hostage Matan Angrest, cited “consensus among all security agencies” that there is only “a brief window of opportunity for a life-saving deal.”
Months of negotiations on a deal to end the war in Gaza and free the remaining Israeli hostages had already hit repeated roadblocks before Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, a key player in the talks, was killed on Tuesday night. Iran and Hamas have blamed the assassination on Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in his killing.
