The Tel Aviv plaza where for two years people rallied to demand the return of Israelis abducted by Hamas has had its nickname, Hostages Square, made official

JNS
Israeli embassy in US honors memory of six hostages murdered in Gaza
August 8, 2026

The Israeli embassy in Washington marked on Saturday the Hebrew calendar-dated second yahrzeit—the anniversary of a person’s death—of six hostages who were murdered by Hamas terrorists in a tunnel in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip, in August 2024. The six are Master Sgt. Ori DaninoCarmel GatHersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander LobanovAlmog Sarusi and Eden Yerushalmi. “Alongside our Shabbat candles, we light candles in their memory and carry their light forward. May their memories forever be a blessing, and may their light continue to shine,” the embassy tweeted…The hostages were found in a 65-foot-deep tunnel with gunshot wounds to the head and other parts of their bodies. One of the hostages showed signs of being tied up and they all showed evidence of neglect and having not bathed for a long time. READ MORE

JTA ‘History cannot be erased’: ‘Hostages Square’ in Tel Aviv is formalized in official name change The plaza that became the center of Israel’s campaign to bring home the 251 captives Hamas seized on Oct.7, 2023 is now formally called “Hostages Square,” establishing a permanent reminder of the more than two-year struggle that ended with the return of the final hostage in January. Mayor Ron Huldai unveiled new signage at the plaza outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art on Wednesday, formally adopting the name Israelis had used for the site for close to three years. Hostage families and their supporters gathered at the square for mass rallies, weekly Shabbat gatherings, vigils and public events demanding the release of those held in Gaza. 

TIMES OF ISRAEL Former hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen returns home to perform songs he composed in Hamas captivity Former hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen took to the stage Monday night to sing nine songs he composed in his head during 498 days of Hamas captivity in Gaza. There were songs about his wife and daughters, one of whom was born while he was in captivity. He wrote about his fear that his young family hadn’t survived the October 7 Hamas onslaught — in fact, he didn’t know they were alive until mere days before his release on February 15, 2025. 

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