The protests reflected growing anger over the resumption of fighting in Gaza, particularly from the families of hostages still held by Hamas. The fate of the 59 remaining hostages -- 24 of whom are believed to be alive – remains unclear.
Attendees of the Habima Square protest merged with those from the protest across the street at Hostages Square.
Speaking ahead of the rally, Yehuda Cohen, father of hostage Nimrod Cohen, accused Netanyahu of "blowing up the hostages in Gaza." He stated: "Netanyahu is killing the hostages and destroying the country."
Many former hostages have spoken out against the renewed fighting.
"We – the returned hostages – cannot begin our rehabilitation process until everyone is here," she said. Expressing anger at those who supported resuming military action in Gaza, she asked: "How are you not listening to us? How?"
She said she feels “anger toward those who think it’s okay to go back to fighting” in Gaza rather than stick to the original terms of the ceasefire.
15-year-old Amit Nimrodi addressed the crowds (Image: Alom Gilboa)[Missing Credit]
Also speaking was 15-year-old Amit Nimrodi, sister of Tamir Nimrodi, who is still in Gaza. She pleaded with the government: “Stop the fighting and continue with the deal. What are you still waiting for? Until there's no one left to bring back? Bring everyone back in one go. The living for rehabilitation and the murdered for burial.
“The hostages' lives are in your hands, time is running out, the hostages have no time. We've seen hostages return. You have the power to do this. So please do it already. Sign phase B and bring my brother back to me. Give me my life back, now!"
The surge in demonstrations was also partly triggered by Netanyahu’s move to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
On Thursday night, the cabinet voted to sack Bar, marking the first time an Israeli government had fired the head of the domestic security agency. However, the High Court intervened the following day, blocking the dismissal to consider legal challenges.
Some senior ministers vowed to defy the court’s ruling, while opposition leaders have suggested that the dismissals are motivated by Netanyahu’s personal interests.
Former Shin Bet director Yoram Cohen alleged that Netanyahu has repeatedly asked for “things that are illegitimate, possibly illegal.” Speaking to Israel’s Channel 12 on Friday, Cohen indicated his belief that the PM is seeking a head of domestic intelligence who will be "personally loyal" to him and will obstruct investigations, including the ongoing probe into alleged Qatari influence in Netanyahu’s Office.
He added that Netanyahu’s push to remove Ronen Bar was an effort to halt the investigation, saying: “Any future Shin Bet head will operate under the threat of being fired.”
A screen on Habima Square on Saturday evening read “Stopping the dictatorship mania,” and protesters chanted: “Netanyahu is an abandoner. Netanyahu isn’t competent!”
A demonstrator dressed as US President Donald Trump in a clown costume holds a doll depicting a baby with the head of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Image: Getty)AFP via Getty Images
Israeli flags filled the square, along with the flags of centre-left opposition parties Yesh Atid and the Democrats, whose heads, Yair Lapid and Yair Golan, addressed the crowd in Tel Aviv.
Lapid claimed that the government "is doing everything to start a civil war here... Netanyahu is openly pushing for it". Referring to speculation that ministers might defy the High Court's ruling, he declared: "If the October 7 government decides not to obey the court ruling, it will turn itself, at that moment, into a criminal government."
Lapid called for a nationwide strike if the government ignored the ruling: “If that happens, the entire country must stop. The only system that is not allowed to stop is the security system.
“The economy needs to strike, the Knesset needs to strike, the courts need to strike, the local authorities need to strike. Not only the universities need to strike but the schools as well,” he insisted.
“If we can organise a tax revolt, we will organise a tax revolt. We will not be complicit in the destruction of democracy,” he went on, threatening a tax strike.
The protests expressed opposition to the resumption of fighting in Gaza, as well as the government's attempts to sack two prominent officials (Image: Getty)AFP via Getty Images
More than 1,500 university staff across Israel joined an academic strike on Sunday. The Israel Business Forum and the Histadrut Labour Union also warned of potential action.
Lapid encouraged Israelis to continue demonstrations. “If you hadn’t taken to the streets, we wouldn’t have the power in the Knesset to stop the draft evasion law.
“If the streets were empty, if the square was silent, they would never have made any hostage deals.”
Democrats leader Yair Golan declared: "The Jewish, democratic, Zionist, and liberal State of Israel will not fall."
“The government has launched a direct, violent and unrestrained attack: on us, on our democracy, on our values, on our future, and on the lives of our children. It will not win,” he went on, accusing the government of “turning its back on the law, on the High Court of Justice and on the public.
“A government in Israel that refuses to obey the High Court of Justice’s ruling is illegal and dangerous,” he said, adding that Netanyahu “is not above the law.”
Golan called on Lapid and National Unity party chair Benny Gantz to unite and "establish a single democratic front" against Netanyahu’s administration.
“This struggle is not another protest. This is a struggle for the face of Israel. This is a struggle for our home,” he implored.
A demonstrator holds a lit-up menorah during a protest outside the Israeli Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv on March 22, 2025 calling for action to secure the release of Israeli hostages held captive in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. (Photo via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images