Marking nine months since October 7, protesters gathered at dozens of locations around the country as part of a day of disruption, calling for the return of the hostages and an immediate hostage deal.
Media reports circulated this weekend of a Hamas counter-offer that Israeli officials say is close to an agreement Israel can accept, prompting increased pressure from protesters aimed at supporting the deal and encouraging Israeli leadership to accept it.
Participants blocked major highways, gathered outside the homes of members of Knesset and the government, participated in marches, and drove in convoys that slowed traffic countrywide.
Many locations saw large protests with thousands of participants, and two main marches took place in the evening in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Hostage families and protesters gathered near the Kirya military headquarters, as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Aza Street residence.
Protesters also marched to the Histadrut labor federation headquarters, calling for a general strike to increase the pressure for a hostage deal.
Arrests and detainments were made at multiple locations.
Many companies and organizations announced that they would allow employees to work remotely or to take part in protest actions.
The Day After
Jerusalem protesters blocked the light rail Sunday morning with participants dressed up as pregnant women holding signs that reminded the public that, after nine months of captivity, some of the female hostages may be close to giving birth.
The “pregnant” protesters, organized by The Day After protest group, stood holding signs with the faces of some of the nearly 20 women still held hostage by Hamas, and in front of a huge banner that read “a step away from giving birth.” At their feet, another group of protesters locked arms to prevent police from moving them off the tracks.
Protesters used the slogan “a step away from giving birth” as a sinister play on an April statement by Netanyahu in which he said Israel is “a step away from victory.”
“We are exactly nine months from October 7. Nine months during which young women are being held hostage,” said The Day After. “We have heard from Amit Soussana, the freed hostage, about the sex offenses she endured in captivity. Who knows what those women have been going through for nine months.
“Netanyahu has said again and again that we are a ‘step from victory,’ but in the meantime we are a step from birth,” said the organization.
“We went out to the street today to put an end to the hell that these women and the rest of the hostages are enduring. There is a deal on the table that this government is blowing off, time after time. It is time for this government to bring the hostages back and go home.”
Democratech, a hi-tech protest organization that represents hundreds of Israeli tech companies, also commented on the nine-month mark.
“These nine months horribly symbolize the worst of all, for the young women who were raped in captivity. We have no more time to lose.”
'He won't sleep at home while the hostages are in tunnels'
At the end of the day of disruption, the protests continued with the activists at Caesarea protesting near the Netanyahu family's residence at 1 AM.
"He deliberately sabotaged a deal to bring back the hostages," the protesters said. "The citizens came to tell him exactly what the whole world knows: he is the leader, he is to blame. He won't sleep at home while the hostages are in tunnels and he is sabotaging the deal."
The protesters arrived at the location as part of what they called the "Shame Patrol" at 1:00 AM, 100 meters from the residence, from three different points. Among the protesters was Dr. Yolanda Yavor, who has been arrested 10 times since December in Caesarea and at the Karkur Junction during protests against Netanyahu and has often been barred from the residence.
No police intervention was reported.
Ori Sela and Yoav Etiel contributed to this report.