Demonstrators protested in front of President Isaac Herzog’s Residence in Jerusalem on Saturday night, calling for more action to be taken to release the hostages and demanding the immediate announcement of elections.
Saturday also marks 120 days since the October 7 massacre, where Hamas murdered over 1,200 people and over 130 people are still being held hostage in the Strip.
One of the main speakers at the demonstration was Yosef Avi Yair Engel, the grandfather of released hostage Ofir Engel and former Israeli Air Force Chief of Staff Nimrod Shafer.
"Someone allowed the terrorist organization, which engraved on its flag the extermination of the Jews and did not hide it, to develop and establish a terrible terrorist monster that the army has been fighting for 120 days, and there is still no end in sight," Engel said.
"How is it possible that in the entire fat political system, not one stood up to announce: 'I take responsibility for the terrible disaster, I am leaving. It's my fault, I betrayed my people'. Bibi, for years you've fattened Hamas with a lot of money and did not bother to find out where the money was invested," Engel continued. "Who was prime minister all these years? Yes, Bibi, you stand at the head as being responsible for the holocaust of October 7, you are trying to run away from responsibility and look for culprits, shame. Go and let those in charge of you lead us, the people of Israel deserve much more. Every day that passes, the danger to the safety of the hostages increases, who knows how they're doing. We must return them now."
"Bibi, you stand at the head as being responsible for the holocaust of October 7, you are trying to run away from responsibility and look for culprits, shame."
Yosef Avi Yair Engel
Shafer then said, "The State of Israel is facing the most important decisions in its history, perhaps since the War of Independence, and in order to rebuild what was broken, we must decide. The state rebuilt here will be a free state, a liberal democracy, a Jewish state with a prosperous economy and with personal and national security. The country rebuilt here will be a place where young people choose to make their home, not because they have nowhere else to go, but because this is where they want to live."
Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv
In Tel Aviv, family members of hostages blocked south Ayalon Street near Highway 1. Family members were accompanied by activists demonstrating for the release of the hostages. They held up signs and messages that said, "120 days underground without oxygen. Without the return of the hostages, not a single citizen in Israel is protected!" and they set fire to an inscription they made on the road that only reads: HELP.
A demonstration was also held at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where people came to express sympathy with the families of hostages still in Gaza and demand their return.
Police were deployed as a result of an "illegal demonstration" on Kaplan Street, a police spokesperson said. Walla described the protest as an "anti-government demonstration," which police had dispersed.
A police statement was issued saying that "A group of demonstrators, who are not among the families of the hostages, decided to march to Kaplan Street and began to violate public order while blocking the road in both directions. Following the blockades and violations of the law, a police officer declared that the demonstration was illegal and that they had to clear the road, in light of the continued blockade by the protesters and because they did not listen to the police's instructions, the police had to disperse them."
It was later reported that police arrested four protesters for violating public order and a fifth for attacking a police officer on Kaplan. The street was then reopened to traffic.