'Children in Gaza need hope': Tel Aviv's Hostages Square welcomes captives home

"Raise the flags, we can't see you," someone shouted into a microphone, as thousands of Israelis gathered and cheered in central Tel Aviv's Hostages Square this morning.

"They're broadcasting from this square to all over the world, even on Al Jazeera," the voice said, echoing out across a sea of Israeli flags.

Then there was music. From some loudspeakers set up in the square, the song I'm Coming Home by American singer Skylar Grey could be heard. People hugged.

The crowd had begun to convene in the early hours of the morning. Screens were set up in the square, which has become a focal point for demonstrations calling for the release of Israeli captives held by Hamas in Gaza, ready to broadcast their release. 

As part of the prisoner exchange agreement struck between Hamas and Israel, 20 Israeli captives were released on Monday, some of them soldiers who were taken as prisoners of war during the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel, during which 250 Israelis and foreign nationals were taken captive.

In Tel Aviv, in the square, great excitement could be seen on the faces of many of those gathered as the huge screens broadcast reports on the return of the captives to Israeli territory.

Thousands of adults, young people and children remained in the square hours after Hamas began releasing the hostages at 8am local time.

Everyone cheered and clapped as the screens showed the captives reuniting with their families.

'Wild excitement'

Israelis in the square told Middle East Eye that "there are no words on a day like this".

Matan and Inbar, two youths sitting on the side of the road in front of a huge screen, spoke of their elation. 

"It's wild excitement," Inbar told MEE. "We can't stop crying this morning and seeing all the people here is just amazing. We've been waiting for this for two years."

Matan, sitting next to his friend, said: "I thought about where we were two years ago and where we are today, and I hope it will move us forward. Every single picture is exciting."

Now, Inbar said, "let's start rehabilitating, fixing the pieces".

Israel's genocide in Gaza has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, wounded hundreds of thousands, and destroyed an estimated 92 percent of all residential buildings.

The ferocious bombing campaign has also endangered the captives held in Gaza. An estimated 75 captives have been killed, with Hamas and Israel trading blame for their deaths.

Four of the 28 bodies of dead captives remaining in Gaza are being transferred on Monday, with regional countries such as Turkey expected to assist in retrieving the rest.

Tomer, a young Israeli who arrived in Tel Aviv from nearby Petah Tikva, told Middle East Eye that he was "happy about the release of the hostages, but the mission was not completed in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza".

"After the release of the hostages, the living and the dead, the mission must be completed," Tomer said, referring to the possibility of renewing the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister have hinted that military campaigns will continue, though US President Donald Trump insisted on Monday that the war was over.

'The children in Gaza need hope as much as our children need it'

- Ofra, Israeli grandmother

Tomer said he had not attended demonstrations for the release of the captives over the past two years because he was on reserve military duty, but that he "sympathises with the struggle of the hostages' families, who did everything to bring back their family members".

"We must under no circumstances forget those who have not yet returned and need to return to their land," Tomer said. "We must do everything possible to bring back the other hostages."

"The army did its best," Matan told MEE, but "more could have been saved".

'Live here together'

Ofra and Inbal, a mother and daughter, said they were in a state of "euphoria".

Inbal, who arrived at Hostages Square directly from New York, was carrying a baby.

"It's OK to rejoice now that 20 hostages have returned to Israel," she told MEE. "We feel hope for the future of the country, for the future of the people of Israel, for Jews, Muslims and Christians."

Ofra said she was "excited that my daughter and my granddaughter will have hope to live together in this place".

"For two years we lived without light, in the dark, and suddenly there is a bright spot that maybe we can live together with our neighbours."

"There is hope for our country," Ofra said, "because until now we thought we would live here in eternal wars. We are here today for the hope of all generations, from all sides, Arab and Jewish".

Ofra is now eyeing the international summit to be held tomorrow in Sharm el-Sheikh, led by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Trump.

The summit, she said, "can give hope to the children of Gaza. The children in Gaza need hope as much as our children need it".