Survivor: "Every Day Makes Healing Harder" - Protests for Hostage Release Met Violence

Thousands of Israelis gathered Saturday evening in cities across the country to demand the immediate release of hostages still held by Hamas and to protest against the government’s handling of the crisis. The main rally, as every Saturday, was held at Kidnapped Square in Tel Aviv, with additional protests taking place near the Begin Gate of the Kirya and in other cities including Rehovot, Kiryat Shmona, Modi'in, and Kiryat Ono.

Mia Sham, a survivor of Hamas captivity, delivered a powerful address at the Tel Aviv rally. She spoke of the trauma she continues to endure and the compounded suffering caused by the ongoing captivity of others.

“Every additional day that our brothers experience the emotional and physical torture of the Hamas monsters increases the difficulty of rehabilitation and picking up the pieces,” she said. Sham recounted a harrowing moment when one of her captors attempted to cut her hair during her time in captivity. “I resisted with all my meager strength... Since then, every time I see scissors, my body shakes uncontrollably.”

She also referenced a recent personal trauma in Israel, when she was asked to cut her hair during a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault. “In an instant, I was thrown back to the days of captivity,” she said.

Clashes Erupt at Multiple Protest Sites

Protests in several locations turned violent. In Rehovot, a vehicle stopped near demonstrators and its occupants physically assaulted protesters. Video footage shows Netanyahu supporters slapping activists and breaking an Israeli flag held by one of them, while shouting slogans such as “Haida Bibi.” Police detained several suspects, later labeling the incident a “mutual assault,” though footage indicates government supporters initiated the violence.

Further violence was reported at:

• Goma Junction near Kiryat Shmona, where a driver attempted to start a physical altercation with demonstrators.

• Modi’in, where protesters reported being assaulted by Netanyahu supporters. A man hit a protester in the back, and a woman scratched his arm. Despite being attacked, the protester was detained for questioning.

• Kiryat Ono, where demonstrators opposing Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar were attacked. An egg was thrown at them, and when police arrived to detain the suspect, they were assaulted by counter-protesters.

Public Outrage and Political Fallout

The Headquarters of the Abductees’ Families condemned the violence, saying:
"The documentation coming from Rehovot tonight should worry every citizen in Israel. There is a connection between the verbal attack on the families of the abductees and violence against activists in favor of their return."

The organization warned against politicizing the plight of the hostages:
"There is an attempt to turn the abductees into a political issue – but it is doomed to fail. The people of Israel are united around the abductees – their return is the key to national reconstruction and the healing of Israeli society."

Opposition Slams Government Over Violence

Political leaders across the opposition spectrum voiced alarm over what they described as an environment of incitement and government complicity in fostering aggression.

• Maj. Gen. (res.) Yair Golan, chair of the Democrats, called the events “political terrorism” and directly blamed Prime Minister Netanyahu. “The violence tonight is not an accident. It is a direct result of the incitement led by Netanyahu and his partners. It is meant to silence and deter.”

• MK Naama Lazimi of the Democrats added, “When Netanyahu and senior ministers incite daily against the families of the kidnapped... of course their subjects in the public will attack families and protesters.”

• Opposition leader Yair Lapid described the assaults as “the product of the incitement of a violent poison machine led by the government,” adding, “We will not stop and we will not abandon the kidnapped until everyone returns home.”

• The “Free in Our Land” protest movement demanded immediate action: “We demand that the Israel Police open a full investigation and arrest the perpetrators. The police must do their job and ensure the right to demonstrate is protected.”

As the hostage crisis continues into its eighth month, public frustration is growing, intensified by both the emotional toll on families and the increasingly polarized atmosphere on the streets. With no resolution in sight, pressure on the government is expected to escalate in the coming days.