On August 7, 2025, families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza sailed from Ashkelon toward the Palestinian enclave in a symbolic and emotional maritime protest aimed at pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to stop the planned expansion of military operations in Gaza. This flotilla, coordinated by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, carried around 20 relatives aboard several boats flying yellow flags and bearing posters of their loved ones, shouting their names and releasing 50 yellow lifebuoys to represent each hostage still in captivity.
As the flotilla approached Gaza’s maritime boundary, participants called for the hostages’ safe return and condemned political rhetoric advocating for full reoccupation of Gaza, warning that such actions could endanger the lives of the hostages. Family members described the security cabinet’s anticipated decision to expand the Gaza war as a potential "death sentence" for those held captive.
Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is among the hostages, called for urgent international assistance, stating that nearly two years into captivity, the hostages' plight remains dire. The families framed their actions as a humanitarian effort to raise awareness and urge Israeli leadership to prioritize negotiations and the hostages’ release over further military escalation.
The protest reflects deep divisions within Israel amid rising military tension and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, intensified by plans debated by the Israeli Security Cabinet to occupy the entire Gaza Strip, a move that the military leadership warns could dangerously prolong the conflict and jeopardize hostages.
This flotilla demonstration is part of broader protests across Israel opposing the war’s expansion and calls for ceasefire agreements grounded in public support for ending the conflict and safeguarding the lives of captives.