In central Tel Aviv, the main stage in Hostages Square—the symbolic heart of a two-year campaign to return Israelis held in Gaza—has been dismantled. Nearby, signs and posters have been removed, and the offices that once served as the nerve centre for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum now stand empty.
Of the 251 people seized by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023, 168 hostages have been returned alive from Gaza and eight were rescued in military operations.
Only one deceased hostage, Ran Gvili, remains unaccounted for.
Now, the square’s atmosphere has shifted. Instead of mass rallies, songs and prayers mark the weekly gathering of the Gvili family and a small circle of supporters each Friday for the start of the Jewish Sabbath.
This week, they also lit a Hanukkah candle.
Their quiet vigil is driven by a singular determination: to bring home the young police officer, killed by Hamas fighters after he rushed to aid victims during the attack on Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel.
“I feel every day is still 7 October. We haven’t moved past it, but we are strong, and we are waiting for him. We do whatever we need to,” says Itzik Gvili, Ran’s father. “This gives us hope: the support of the people.”
