SHOTLIST:


TEL AVIV (AUGUST 17, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)


1. VARIOUS OF FAMILIES OF HOSTAGES AND SUPPORTERS WAVING ISRAELI FLAGS AND HOLDING SIGNS WITH CAPTIVES’ PHOTOS, DISRUPTING TRAFFIC ON TEL AVIV'S AYALON HIGHWAY
TEL AVIV - AUGUST 17, 2025: Thousands of Israelis took to the streets and participated in a nationwide strike on Sunday, August 17, demanding that the government secure an immediate prisoner swap deal with Palestinian factions.

The protests oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to fully reoccupy the Gaza Strip, which they fear could endanger the lives of those held captive.

Families of hostages, joined by supporters, blocked major roadways across Tel Aviv, waving Israeli flags and holding signs with the captives’ photographs. Video footage shows protesters disrupting traffic on the city’s central Ayalon Highway, calling on the government to finalize a prisoner swap and secure the release of all captives.

On Monday, the Israel Hayom daily reported that several Israeli companies have also agreed to join the strike, disrupting economic activity to pressure the government into securing the release of all captives.

Israeli authorities estimate that 50 hostages remain in Gaza, including 20 alive. More than 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, where many face torture, starvation, and medical neglect that has caused multiple deaths, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

Israel is facing mounting condemnation for its genocidal war on Gaza, where it has killed nearly 61,900 people since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.