P rime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated what he views as significant victories against Hamas and Hezbollah this week, but Tel Aviv's atmosphere remains somber.
Typically bustling on weekends, Tel Aviv, a coastal city of over 400,000, was unusually quiet. Many attribute this to fears of an Iranian retaliation following recent assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced a "high alert," and supermarkets report increased sales of basic goods as residents stockpile.
Netanyahu claimed on Wednesday that Israel delivered "crushing blows" to Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah, celebrating the killings of Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, Hezbollah military commander Fu’ad Shukr, and the retaliatory strikes on the Houthis in Yemen. Hamas also accused Israel of assassinating their political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, a claim Israel has not commented on.
Netanyahu's triumphalist tone contrasts sharply with the sentiment in Tel Aviv, especially among the families of hostages still held in Gaza. Yifat Zailer, whose relatives Shiri and Yarden Bibas and their sons Ariel and Kfir are among the 111 hostages, expressed frustration with the government. She believes the government isn't listening to the public's call for prioritizing the hostages' release over ongoing military actions.
Polling from the Israel Democracy Institute indicates that 56% of Israelis support a deal to release the hostages and end the war, with a clear divide in opinion between left-wing and right-wing citizens.
On October 7, Hamas's attack on Kibbutz Nir Or resulted in the kidnapping of Zailer's family and others. Israel's subsequent war in Gaza has claimed over 39,000 lives, mostly women and children, and displaced nearly all of Gaza’s population, according to Palestinian authorities. Despite the humanitarian crisis, Netanyahu insists the war will continue until Hamas is eradicated, a goal critics argue is unrealistic.
Hopes for a hostage release deal have fluctuated over the ten months of conflict, with recent tensions heightening fears. Zailer fears waking up to news that all hostages have been killed, as Hamas may see no further value in them.
As concerns grow over an Iranian response, Tel Aviv residents brace for potential conflict. Some, like Itay Oved, express fatigue and a desire for resolution, while others, like Alona Lelchuk, stress the unique impact of the ongoing hostage crisis on the war's tone and urgency.
Netanyahu faces criticism for potentially obstructing ceasefire negotiations to maintain political support from his coalition's far-right factions. Critics argue this strategy prolongs the conflict, reducing international support for Israel's military actions and further endangering the hostages.
Zailer highlights the enduring trauma for children on both sides, fearing the lasting psychological scars of this prolonged conflict. She remains determined to see the hostages, including her family, safely returned.
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