700 Days, 48 Lives: Hostage Families Say Time Is Running Out
Families of 48 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza mark 700 days since October 7 with urgent "SOS" protest in Tel Aviv, demanding immediate government action for their release.
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Israel marked this Friday 700 days since the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault, with 48 hostages still in captivity and growing frustration from their families.
At Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, the Hostage Families Forum staged what it called “an emergency call.” Wearing yellow shirts, relatives and supporters formed the letters “S.O.S” beside an hourglass, symbolizing time running out for the abductees.
“Seven hundred days since they were abducted, and we are with them,” the forum wrote on X. “Government of Israel, the excuses are over! A deal must be made now, before it’s too late.”
The Forum’s weekend demonstrations include several protests and the 101st consecutive Kabbalat Shabbat at Hostages Square, a ritual that has become a focal point of national solidarity.
Organizers stressed urgency: “700 days is too many. We cannot reach a 102nd Shabbat. Every day is critical. Replace the Friday table with the negotiating table and don’t leave until there is an agreement to bring them home.”
A national wound unhealed
Opposition leader Avigdor Liberman joined the calls, writing on X that Israel continues to pay the price for government failures.
“Years of containment instead of decisive action ended in thousands murdered, hundreds kidnapped, and families shattered,” he said. “As long as 48 hostages remain in Gaza, every day is a painful continuation of October 7. We must not accept this.”
The protests, held against the backdrop of ongoing war and diplomatic deadlock, reflect a sentiment that for many Israelis, October 7 is not history but a daily reality.