On Sunday, August 17, 2025, Israel was swept by a wave of protests and strikes that stretched from Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square to highways leading into Jerusalem, with demonstrators demanding a government deal to end the Gaza war and bring home the remaining hostages. The day’s events, marked by both hope and deep divisions, reflected mounting public frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war strategy and a growing impatience for the safe return of those still held in Gaza.
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, hundreds of thousands of Israelis participated in rallies at over 300 locations nationwide. Organizers claimed that, throughout the day, more than one million people engaged in some form of protest or strike action, making it one of the largest coordinated demonstrations since the Gaza war began nearly two years ago, as reported by CNN and other outlets. The protests were not limited to major cities; smaller communities, businesses, and even local branches of international companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Fiverr shuttered their doors in solidarity. Streets in Tel Aviv cleared as demonstrators blocked highways, set tires alight, and disrupted transportation, with the main road to Jerusalem among those affected.
The day’s actions began at 6:29 a.m.—the exact time Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, an assault that killed about 1,200 people and saw 250 abducted, according to Israeli tallies. That attack has cast a long shadow over Israeli society, fueling both the urgency of the current protests and the government’s determination to continue military operations in Gaza. In the months since, Israeli strikes and gunfire have killed at least 61,944 people in Gaza, according to health authorities there.
At the heart of the protests was a simple demand: a comprehensive deal that would end the war in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents most families of those still held in Gaza, led the charge alongside the October Council, a group representing bereaved families from the war. Family members of hostages took center stage at the main rally in Hostages Square, Tel Aviv, where a new video of captive Matan Zangauker was released. In the video, Zangauker, appearing with a shaved head, addresses his sisters and partner, saying, “Tatu (Natali), Shani, Ilana – I miss you, and God willing, we’ll meet soon. To all my acquaintances, all my friends – go out and make noise like only you know how.”
His mother, Einav Zangauker, spoke to the assembled crowd, her voice carrying both sorrow and a pointed message for the government: “Your quiet gaze at the end of the video accompanies me as I toss and turn in bed at night. My soul burns with longing; it burns that I cannot hug you, hear you, and hold you.” She criticized the government’s conduct, declaring, “They have turned the most just war into a futile war. If Netanyahu wants an agreement, let him put a comprehensive proposal on the table and agree to it; otherwise, he is simply lying.”
Other family members echoed her frustration. Anat Engrest, whose son Matan is among the hostages, announced an “emergency break” until the hostages are released, stating, “Today, we stop everything to save the lives of 50 hostages and soldiers. Today, we stop everything to remember the supreme value of the sanctity of life.” Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod is a hostage, added, “We are united in one simple demand directed at the Israeli government: Put an Israeli proposal on the table today for a comprehensive deal – to end the war in exchange for the return of the last hostage. No slogans, no sabotage, no demands that we know the other side won’t accept. It’s time to end the horrific nightmare the entire country has been living in for 22 months.”
Despite the outpouring of public support, the government remains divided. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right member of Netanyahu’s cabinet, condemned the protests as a “perverse and harmful campaign that plays into Hamas’s hands.” He warned that pressure for a deal would “bury the hostages in tunnels” and force Israel to “surrender to its enemies.” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called the strike a “cynical political maneuver on the backs of the hostages,” linking it to broader anti-government movements.
Prime Minister Netanyahu himself dismissed calls to halt the fighting, stating during his weekly Cabinet meeting, “Those who are calling today to end the war without defeating Hamas not only harden Hamas’s stance and delay the release of our hostages – they are also ensuring that the horrors of October 7 will repeat themselves again and again.”
Yet, the protests found support from other quarters. Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Hostages Square and voiced solidarity with the hostage families: “All of the people of Israel are anxious, concerned, and want the hostages to come home. There is not a single Israeli woman or man who does not want them home.”
Polls have repeatedly shown that a large majority of Israelis support a ceasefire deal to release all hostages in exchange for an end to the war. Still, the last round of negotiations fell apart in late July when the United States and Israel withdrew from talks in Doha, accusing Hamas of not negotiating in good faith. Meanwhile, the Israeli security cabinet has decided to expand the war and take over Gaza City, despite warnings from the Israeli military that such operations could endanger the hostages. The military has pledged to provide tents for the local population in Gaza before relocating them “for their protection,” but almost the entire population has already been displaced, many multiple times.
As night fell on August 17, protesters marched toward Hostages Square, chanting for a deal to end the war. Haggai Angrest, father of captive soldier Matan Angrest, addressed the crowd with determination: “This is only the opening shot; we will not stop. Prime Minister, look at us -- we are determined, we will not stop turning the whole country upside down until the hostages are here.” Police reported using water cannons to disperse some gatherings and arrested at least 38 people across the country for disturbing the peace.
The protests have reignited old debates within Israeli society. Some commentators have drawn parallels to the anti-war demonstrations of 1982 during the Peace for Galilee War, recalling accusations, media alignments, and deep divisions that marked that era. Critics argue that the current protests, while emotionally powerful, may inadvertently strengthen Hamas’s resolve. According to Israel Hayom, Hamas’s conditions for the hostages’ release reportedly include Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas remaining in power, billions in reconstruction aid managed by Hamas, the wholesale release of terrorists, and international guarantees against future Israeli attacks. Some hostages would remain as collateral until all terms are fulfilled.
Despite these complexities, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum has vowed to continue its campaign. The group announced plans to set up a protest encampment called “Waypoint 50” on the Gaza border, symbolizing the 50 hostages still believed to be in captivity, to maintain pressure on the government.
As Israel grapples with the painful legacy of October 7 and the ongoing war in Gaza, the protests of August 17 have laid bare the nation’s struggle to balance security, justice, and the sanctity of life. The voices of hostage families, government officials, and ordinary citizens now echo across a country searching for a path forward—one that will bring the hostages home and, perhaps, a measure of peace to a nation in turmoil.
