Israelis Gather in Tel Aviv Amid Hopes for Hostage Release

Thousands of Israelis assembled in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square on Thursday, expressing hope for the return of hostages held in Gaza. The gathering followed the announcement of a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas, aiming to facilitate the release of captives.

Attendees displayed stickers reading "They're coming back," waved Israeli and U.S. flags, and held photos of the hostages. The square has been the site of regular rallies advocating for the captives' return.

Laurence Yitzhak, a 54-year-old Tel Aviv resident, remarked, "We have been waiting for this day for 734 days. We cannot imagine being anywhere else this morning."

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that both sides had agreed to a ceasefire and a hostage-prisoner exchange program as part of a 20-point plan he proposed last month. The formal agreement is expected to be signed later Thursday in Egypt, a key mediator alongside the United States and Qatar.

The deal could lead to the release of the remaining living hostages within days, marking a significant step toward ending the two-year conflict. Of the 251 individuals abducted during Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack, 47 remain in Gaza, including 25 whom the Israeli military reports as deceased.

Hamas's assault resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to official Israeli figures. Israel's subsequent campaign in Gaza has led to at least 67,194 fatalities, as reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.

In Jerusalem, reactions were mixed. A newsagent expressed support for the hostages' release but opposed ending the war, stating, "They started something, they must pay the heavy price." A man praying during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot described the development as a "wonderful feeling" but noted, "This is not a happy ending. We have lost many good people. But it was the right thing to do."

In Tel Aviv, 36-year-old photographer and neuroscience researcher Noam Ekhaus shared, "I can't just celebrate at home alone. I haven't been smiling like this in a while, and I don't think that I'm the only one. I'm walking down the street, and I'm feeling something different, and I'm seeing something different, and this is what hope feels like."