Former Israeli hostages, family members speak to thousands at weekly protest, repeat call to 'demand a deal now'

After a four-day march from Tel Aviv, thousands of Israelis rallied to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Jerusalem, demanding immediate action on behalf of the hostages. 

As schools in Israel close for a two-month summer break starting July 1, known as “hofesh gadol” (literally ‘great freedom’), a large banner was displayed over people's heads, visible from the air, with the message, “There is no hofesh gadol for the hostages.”

The large weekly rally followed a “Day of Disruption” last Sunday, held at 6:29 a.m., the exact time the Hamas attack began on Oct. 7, marking nine months since the hostages were taken captive. Other rallies of hundreds were simultaneously held in other cities around Israel as the pressure increases on the Netanyahu-led government to strike a deal with Hamas to return the hostages.

Representing the kidnapped Bibas family, a number of women dressed as maltreated hostages cradling dolls, a stark, visual reminder of the vulnerability of the hostages in Gaza. As Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 1,200 were murdered and over 250 were abducted, including the elderly, women and children, the youngest of whom was a ten-month-old baby. 

Families of hostages were at the rally to speak out, along with former hostages who had been released or rescued. Some said they were encouraged to the Israeli public joining them in their protest. Some had joined the march as it neared Jerusalem, while others were bussed in from around the country by the protest organizers.

Many of the speakers leveled criticism at the government, including former hostage Amit Soussana.

Soussana’s ordeal at the hands of her captors in Gaza, which included sexual assault, was made public an interview with The New York Times.

Andrey Kozlov, one of hostages recently rescued by the IDF, also spoke at the rally, saying, “I want to share that every day in Gaza was a living hell; every day felt like it could be my last on earth.” 

Concern for the hostages has been heightened all the more as time has gone by, especially having passed the 9-month milestone. Kozlov had been in captivity for 246 days before IDF special forces rescued him and brought him back to Israel. He said that seeing footage of rallies demanding their release helped him survive.

“Watching the rallies at Hostages Square, like the one we’re at right now, is part of what gave me the strength to survive – where ‘Am Israel’ comes together with good people from around the world, demanding to bring all hostages back home now!” 

Kozlov commended the IDF for the rescue operation, especially mentioning Arnon Zmora, an officer in the National Counterterrorism Unit (Yamam) who was killed in the operation.

He told the crowd, “June 8 felt like a Hollywood movie, superheroes came to save us.”

Kozlov recalled becoming emotional as they said to him, “We saved you; this evening you will be back home.” He spoke to the crowd about the desperate situation of those still being held captive in Gaza and the urgency of getting them back home.

“I may look okay to you from the outside, but the pain weighs on me more than anyone can see, more than anyone can imagine.” 

Kozlov, like many others, believes that everything must be done, at whatever cost, to bring the hostages home. After addressing the grieving family of Zmora, he said, “Arnon, may his memory be a blessing, sacrificed everything to save us and bring us back to our families.”

Drawing parallels between his rescue and the 1976 Entebbe raid in which Israeli commandos saved 103 Israeli hostages from a hijacked plane in Uganda. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost his brother, Yoni, the only soldier killed in the Entebbe operation.

Kozlov invoked the heroism of the past and demanded more be done to secure the release of the hostages today.

The rally represents a deep dissatisfaction many feel concerning government efforts to reach a hostage-ceasefire deal, along with the sentiment that Netanyahu is responsible.

A recent poll indicated that 72% believe Netanyahu should resign due to his handling of the crisis, of whom 44% said he should go immediately and another 28% believing he should resign when the war ends.

The online poll, conducted by the Midgam research firm, also found broad public support for a deal with Hamas that would see a ceasefire and the return of the hostages, with 64% in favor of such a deal, and 15% against. Of the 502 that took part in the poll, a further 21% said they didn’t know. 

The matter is clear among the families of the hostages who are focused on bringing their loved ones home.

Dalia Kushnir-Horn, sister-in-law of hostages Yair and Eitan Horn, said, “Yair and Eitan were kidnapped on Oct. 7 from Kibbutz Nir Oz, on the watch of Bibi Netanyahu. Now it’s his responsibility, for nine months he is wasting time. We demand a deal now. It is the only way.”