Tel Aviv’s Pride festival will take a different tone this year with the focus on the ISraeli hostages held in Gaza.

The traditional festival for the LGBTQ+ community will not take place and be replaced with the Pride and Hope Assembly on Thursday evening.

Organisers have partnered with the Hostage Families Forum and hope the event will “extend support to the families of the hostages, who tirelessly advocate for the freedom, rehabilitation, and justice for their loved ones.”

The event will take place at Charles Clore Park along the famous coastline of Tel Aviv.

Ahead of the event, the Tel Aviv Municipality has hung hundreds of pride flags throughout the city, though this year the flags are different. 

The rainbow flags synonymous with the festival have the yellow color stripe significantly expanded, as a sign of solidarity with the hostages in Gaza and their families.

Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo said: “The pride flag is a symbol of freedom. This year, we demand freedom for the hostages who are held captive by Hamas. Currently, 125 of our sons and daughters are still hostages in Gaza.

“We are in one of the most difficult periods of the state of Israel and the circle of bereavement is expanding every day. We feel the pain of the entire country, and at the same time, we do not stop for a moment the fight for equality and freedom–for everyone."

The decision to organise an assembly this year was born out of a desire to commemorate the events of October 7 and acknowledge the ongoing war.

Israeli artists are expected to perform at the event, among them Eurovision stars Netta Barzilai and Noa Kirel.

As part of the festival, there will be a special tribute to those murdered at the Nova Music Festival and a ceremony to honor the community's loved ones.

Organisers said: “We must embrace the families of the hostages who are fighting to bring thier loved ones home now.”