The rally was the culmination of a day of nationwide protests and a general strike to pressure the government to halt the military campaign.

Hostages forum says 500,000 attended rally, over 1 million protested across the country Sunday; at rally, ex-captives urge Trump to push Israel to 'end the suffering,' 'make peace' The post Hundreds of thousands gather in Tel Aviv to mark end of nationwide day of hostage protests appeared first on The Times of Israel.

The families of the remaining hostages in Gaza staged an emergency protest after disturbing footage of their relatives was released.

The circulation of videos created by Hamas showing Israeli hostages living in dire conditions incited families to protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday to demand a cease-fire and the return of their loved ones.

On Sunday, relatives and friends of hostages taken by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, on October 7, 2023, called a nationwide strike. Around 25 hostages are believed be alive in Gaza. The protests took place across Israel, some outside of politician's homes, military bases, and highways.