Thousands of Israelis have gathered outside the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv, urging the government to prioritise the release of captives still held in Gaza instead of escalating military operations in the Palestinian territory.
The demonstration on Saturday was held as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government authorised the mobilisation of up to 60,000 reserve troops, signalling plans to intensify its assault on the besieged Palestinian enclave.
One protester held aloft a placard castigating Netanyahu that read, “our tyrant is a liar, because of him the state is on fire”.
Government officials claim an expanded military offensive on Gaza will pressure Hamas into releasing the 59 remaining captives, but critics argue it further endangers their lives. Ending the fleeting ceasefire, which saw Palestinian prisoners exchanged for Israeli captives earlier this year, has not led to any more releases.
A video circulated by Hamas on Saturday purported to show one of the Israeli captives, whom local media identified as Maxim Herkin. In the four-minute video posted online, Herkin is seen being rescued by Hamas members after an Israeli attack struck a tunnel, burying and injuring the Israeli captive.
Families of the captives released a statement saying they spent the Sabbath gripped by “excruciating anxiety” after news of the government’s planned escalation and the effect it could have on those still held in Gaza.
The Bring Them Home Campaign, a group representing the relatives, condemned the move as reckless.
“Israel is on its way to sinking into the Gaza mud in the name of the illusion that it is possible to achieve any victory without returning our brothers and sisters from captivity,” the group said in a post on X. “Expanding the fighting will endanger the kidnapped, the living and the dead alike.”
They urged Netanyahu to abandon the offensive and instead reach an agreement that would secure the captives’ return. “Stop this mistake,” the group said.
‘Protests not enough to influence Netanyahu’
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Israeli journalist Gideon Levy said the protest movement remains consistent, but lacks the momentum to challenge Netanyahu’s coalition. “It’s the same old protest, very courageous and devoted, but not big enough to influence Netanyahu,” Levy said.
He noted that a large segment of Israeli society continues to support the war effort, even amid rising frustration from the captives’ families, and that “when [Israelis] are called to war, they will obey.”
Netanyahu, speaking Thursday at a public event in Jerusalem, seemed to suggest that defeating Hamas remains Israel’s top priority instead of the release of captives. “We want to bring all our hostages home,” he said. “The war has a supreme goal, and the supreme goal is victory over our enemies, and this we will achieve.”
Captives’ families have accused Netanyahu of undermining previous attempts to reach a truce and swap deal. Some believe his refusal to compromise reflects political motives, aimed at ensuring the survival of his far-right coalition government, rather than genuine concern for the captives.