3 View gallery
Weekly demonstration in Tel Aviv demanding a deal to free the hostages
(Photo: Dana Kopel)
“Nothing is normal in a country where families don’t know if they’ll get their loved ones back—alive or dead,” she added. “Nothing is normal in a government that acts like time isn’t running out, while soldiers and civilians are dying in tunnels and our leaders post about fake unity.”
Silverman-Siton criticized the government’s failure to secure the release of the hostages. “When they were taken, the state promised to bring them home. Nearly two years later, what do we have? Empty slogans, operation after operation and a sense of abandonment. These people haven’t been forgotten—they’ve been forsaken.”
Protests also took place across the country, with thousands rallying at the Horev Junction in Haifa, and hundreds more gathering in Kfar Saba and at the Science Park junction in Rehovot.
“We’re not waiting for the major institutions to mobilize. It starts with us—with the people,” she said. “So tomorrow, don’t go to work. Don’t spend money—not even a shekel. That’s how we show our economic power.”
The plan was approved during a high-level meeting led by Zamir, with top IDF commanders, Shin Bet representatives and senior officers in attendance. The proposal outlines the IDF's next phase of operations in Gaza, following directives from the political echelon. Further discussions are expected in the coming week.
The announcement comes as Israel braces for a large-scale protest campaign on Sunday, dubbed a “people’s strike,” initiated by the families of hostages and fallen soldiers. The strike, set to unfold from the grassroots level, has gained momentum after dozens of private companies, local councils, universities and other institutions said they would allow employees to participate freely.
The day’s events will begin at 6:29 a.m.—marking the exact time Hamas launched its attack on October 7—with a symbolic installation in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. A half-hour later, hostage families are scheduled to hold a press conference there, alongside protests at dozens of intersections, the distribution of yellow ribbons to drivers and demonstrations outside coalition lawmakers' homes.
Throughout the day, a photo exhibition will display images of hostages before their abduction, paired with videos Hamas has released from captivity. Every hour, family members are expected to speak publicly about their loved ones.
At 11:00 a.m., a procession of doctors and medical professionals in white coats, known as the White Coats March, will arrive at the square. At 4:00 p.m., a one-minute nationwide car horn siren campaign, Israel Honks, will sound in solidarity with the hostages.
Later in the evening, convoys from across the country are expected to converge on Tel Aviv’s Savidor train station before heading to the main rally at Hostages Square at 8:00 p.m., where hostage families, former captives and bereaved relatives are scheduled to speak.
