Hundreds of thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday in an emotional rally ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages by Hamas, with crowds chanting “Thank you, Trump!” as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff credited the former president for brokering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal.
My favorite photo from tonight’s rally in Tel Aviv. pic.twitter.com/H444TumxAY
— Dan Senor (@dansenor) October 11, 2025
Witkoff told demonstrators that “the hostages are coming home,” sparking both celebration and frustration, many attendees booed when he mentioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, blaming him for the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
Under the ceasefire agreement announced Thursday, Hamas has until Monday noon (09:00 GMT) to release all 48 remaining hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Hamas official Osama Hamdan confirmed to AFP that the “exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed.”
The deal precedes a major summit in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh, where more than 20 world leaders including Trump, Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to meet to finalise terms aimed at ending the two-year war.
Meanwhile, Gaza remains in ruins. The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warns that one in four Gazans faces famine, while the World Food Programme reports aid entry remains minimal. “There is no house anymore. Everything is gone,” Gaza resident Mosa Aldous told the BBC.
As Hamas mobilises fighters in evacuated zones and Israel’s military maintains pressure, hopes for peace hang precariously on the success of Monday’s hostage release.
You May Like To Read:
