Hostages Square Protests Demand Truth and Accountability Over October 7 Warnings
Protests at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square condemned government attempts to rewrite the history of October 7, amid new foreign media reports detailing ignored intelligence warnings.
Protests continued at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv as families of fallen hostages, captive survivors, and anti-government activists gathered for the "Fiasco Sukkah" demonstration. The event focused on what participants called "the struggle for truth and against the falsification of history." Among the attendees was released captive Yocheved Lifshitz, who was greeted with enthusiastic applause and chants of support following a controversial remark made against her by Likud candidate Itzik Bonzel, who later apologized.
Lifshitz addressed the crowd, stating that attacks against critical voices stem from the political establishment's refusal to confront reality. Other speakers, including Michel Illouz—whose son Guy was murdered in captivity after being abducted from the Nova festival—and Gil Dickman, cousin of the late Carmel Gat, sharply condemned the attacks on survivors and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the handling of security and hostage negotiations.
The demonstrations coincided with recent investigative reports published by major American media outlets regarding intelligence warnings ahead of the October 7 massacre. The New York Times reported on a conversation between UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed and Prime Minister Netanyahu, while The Atlantic detailed a clandestine visit to Israel by Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel shortly before the attacks. Both reports highlighted disregarded warnings regarding Hamas's operational plans, findings that the Prime Minister's Office has strongly denied.
Additional testimonies at the rally included statements from released captive Gabriella Leimberg and Nova festival survivor Yasmin Porat. Leimberg recounted chilling remarks made by her captors in Gaza regarding future attacks, criticizing the current leadership for failing to initiate a formal state commission of inquiry into the systemic failures of October 7. Porat shared her harrowing experience of being held hostage in Kibbutz Be'eri, emphasizing the ongoing demand for accountability and transparency from the government.
