Meanwhile, thousands demonstrated against the government at Begin Gate of the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, with additional rallies at the Negev Gate. Solidarity and protest events also took place in Karkur Junction, Haifa, Rehovot and other locations.
Families of hostages are demanding an all-inclusive deal to return all captives—living and deceased—in a single phase. “All the hostages could have returned months ago for rehabilitation and burial, if only the government had chosen that over political survival… Fifty hostages—22 living, 28 deceased—must come back. No separation,” the families said in a statement.
Despite reports of progress, a Hamas source told Ynet the group requested three revisions to the mediator draft: reorganizing humanitarian aid delivery via mechanisms agreed upon in the previous ceasefire (and removing U.S. firm GHF from Gaza); phased Israeli withdrawal to prior ceasefire positions; and a pledge not to resume hostilities after a 60-day ceasefire, with guarantees from Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. for continued process.
Michel Iluz, father of slain hostage Guy Iluz, spoke at the rally: “Why should I read the list of the deceased on a Friday evening and tally chances of returning my son?… Why this Russian roulette and squid games?” He told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Be brave. You’re the only one who can, must and has to bring them all back… Stop the sleepless nights and endless nightmares.”
Also speaking was the aunt of abducted twins Gali and Ziv Berman, alongside friends from Kfar Aza. “Gali and Ziv are blood brothers kidnapped cruelly—we know where they are and by whose hands,” she said alongside their neighbors. “In Israel, you call them hostages, but the monsters call them prisoners.”
He added: “It’s late. The principles have been clear for a long time… We need to bring them all back—deceased, civilians, soldiers—in one deal, as soon as possible. The conditions were met long ago; the Cabinet must heed the IDF and chief of staff’s recommendation.”
