Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on September 27 demanding a deal to end the war in Gaza, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Demonstrators rallied at Hostage Square, holding banners urging the government to secure the release of captives still held in the enclave.
The call for an agreement came amid another wave of Israeli strikes that killed at least 92 people across Gaza, according to local authorities. In Tel Aviv, relatives of hostages said time was running out.
«The only thing that can stop the slide into the abyss is a comprehensive deal that ends the war and brings everyone home,» said Lishay Miran-Lavi, whose husband remains in captivity.
Trump has signaled optimism about the prospects of a truce, telling reporters he believed a deal was within reach. Netanyahu, however, told the UN General Assembly days earlier that Israel would «finish the job» against Hamas. His coalition partners on the far-right, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have warned against any agreement that halts military operations before the militant group is dismantled.
The standoff leaves Netanyahu under pressure both abroad and at home. Families of hostages are urging immediate action, while his government depends on hardline allies who oppose compromise. More than 65,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to figures cited by the United Nations, while 47 hostages remain in captivity nearly a year after the October 2023 attack that triggered the conflict.
