Final preparations are being made for the hostage and prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas as part of their ceasefire deal. Families waiting for their kidnapped relatives to be released in the first stage of the ceasefire have gathered in Tel Aviv.
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00:00There are thousands and thousands of people here in central Tel Aviv at the place which
00:06has been dubbed Hostages Square, the focal point for hostages families and their supporters
00:12throughout this long 15 months of war and the ordeal that they have experienced.
00:17There are two words which sum up the atmosphere here tonight, they are hope and anxiety.
00:23We just came here to hug the families and to support them, that's all.
00:29We can't do anything.
00:31We just hope it will really happen, it will really happen because we don't trust our government.
00:40We just hope that the American elected president will keep pushing our government to do it
00:47until the end.
00:48There is also anger here, anger towards the Israeli government and its prime minister.
00:53The feeling is that this ceasefire and hostage deal happened despite Benjamin Netanyahu,
00:59not because of him and that there is one man who should and will take credit for it.
01:05It's the saying of Mr Trump that asks the parties to end the war and put an end to the
01:19suffering.
01:20We have to get all of them back.
01:22If there is an operational way of doing it, that's good.
01:25If we have to go with a deal, that's what we will do.
01:28We are strong enough to have a deal and no one is going anywhere.
01:32We must make sure that all our hostages are coming back.
01:34We have a prime minister, we have responsibilities and I expect him to stick with them.
01:39Among those here, the uncle of one hostage who was returned months ago.
01:43He is demanding the government step up the support it offers to families once their loved
01:48ones come home, something he says is severely lacking right now.
01:53The families are not getting enough support and they break.
01:58My sister now is breaking physically, lots of medical problems and everything is breaking
02:09now and we need the families strong for their hostage.
02:14For those who have been through this ordeal already and have been released from captivity,
02:19their message is clear.
02:21What is possible for me to do is to help the families to be together and to give everyone
02:27to be with hope and don't forget the hope.
02:32It's so difficult to see one name and the second no and it's the least.
02:39We need more and we are waiting for more, for everyone.
02:47Those gathered here are promising to continue rallying until all of the 98 hostages are
02:53released, more than just the initial group of 33 slated to be freed in this first stage
02:58of the ceasefire.