Thousands of protesters gathered throughout Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, calling for the return of hostages held in Hamas captivity and demonstrating against the government, Israeli media reported.
The protests took place in various locations in the city. Groups gathered outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art at Hostages Square and blocked several streets, including the Kaplan interchange and Begin Road.
As protestors marched through the city, police blocked the roads leading to the Ayalon highway to prevent demonstrators from blocking it.
During the protest, demonstrators screened a movie titled "One Request," which demanded that government leaders take action to return those held in Hamas captivity for almost 200 days. Protesters also called for immediate elections in the country.
The parents of US-Israeli citizen Itay Chen, an IDF soldier who was killed on October 7 and whose body is being held by Hamas, called for the government to approve a hostage deal immediately. Reflecting on the loss of their son, they said, "The country did not defend you or save you. It forsakes you every day."
The families of the hostages write a letter
Additionally, the families of the hostages sent a letter to the members of the security cabinet where they wrote, "We demand to hear directly from you. What are the priorities of the Israeli government after over half a year since the beginning of the war? We no longer feel any military pressure. What are you doing to bring them back?"
The letter also called for government leaders to set up an official meeting with the families of the hostages. They criticized the fact that "many months have passed without an official meeting."
Further protests demanding elections and hostage release also took place throughout the country. Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid spoke at the protest in Haifa.
"This government is a disaster. For the sake of the hostages and soldiers we need elections now," he said.