Israelis across the country to gather and mark 700 days since Hamas' 7 October attacks

Published connected 05/09/2025 - 9:58 GMT+2 •Updated 12:57

Large protests organised by nan families of nan remaining hostages are planned crossed Israel connected Saturday to people 700 days since Hamas' onslaught connected confederate Israel connected 7 October 2023.

The gathering marking nan attack, which killed 1,200 group and took 251 hostage, is group to return spot successful Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and nan confederate metropolis of Kiryat Gat.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which campaigns for nan merchandise of hostages captured and taken by Hamas into nan Gaza Strip, posted connected X that this play marks an "incomprehensible 700 days that our loved ones person been held successful captivity."

Out of nan 251 Israelis forcibly taken into Gaza, 48 are still believed to beryllium held successful nan Strip. At slightest 20 are thought to beryllium alive, aft immoderate were released successful various ceasefire and hostage deals.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum called for some Israel and Hamas to "sit down astatine nan negotiating table" and called connected Israel to wantonness its projected scheme of taking complete Gaza City, which it said posed a "real threat to hostages, some nan surviving and deceased."

Israel's information furniture successful August approved plans to return complete Gaza City, which it says is simply a Hamas stronghold wherever militants person created a immense passageway network. At slightest 60,000 reservists person been called up to support nan plan, which has sparked disapproval astatine location and abroad.

Demonstrators person claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his furniture person grounded to unafraid a ceasefire woody and are alternatively intensifying nan violative successful Gaza.

A group of astatine slightest 600 reservists person refused to service again successful nan offensive, accusing Netanyahu of prolonging nan warfare for governmental purposes and failing to scope a hostage deal.

“Netanyahu’s ongoing warfare of aggression needlessly puts our ain hostages successful threat and has wreaked havoc connected nan cloth of Israeli society, while astatine nan aforesaid clip killing, maiming and starving an full organization of Gazan civilians,” Max Kresch, a personnel of nan precocious formed Soldiers for nan Hostages group, told reporters.

Netanyahu said nan warfare will proceed until each hostages are returned and Hamas surrenders.

“We are facing nan decisive stage,” Netanyahu said successful a video connection addressed to troops. "With God’s help, together we will win.”

Ceasefire stalls

Hamas released a connection precocious Wednesday saying that it was unfastened to returning each 48 hostages it still holds successful speech for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, nan withdrawal of Israeli forces from each of Gaza, nan opening of separator crossings and a commencement to nan process of rebuilding nan Strip, which has been each but levelled successful nan war.

Netanyahu’s agency dismissed nan connection arsenic “spin”. It said that nan warfare would proceed until each nan hostages are returned, Hamas is disarmed, and Israel has afloat information power of nan territory, pinch civilian management delegated to others.

Talks connected a impermanent ceasefire that would person seen immoderate of nan hostages returned collapsed down erstwhile US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff walked distant from nan deal, blaming Hamas.

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not separate betwixt militants and civilians, said that 64,231 Palestinians person been killed since nan commencement of nan Israel-Hamas war, which experts opportunity has pushed nan Strip and its organization adjacent to famine.