Crowds rally in Tel Aviv for return of hostages

STORY: Michael Levy, the brother of 33-year-old hostage Or Levy, said he joined the rally to show "we are not backing down" on the demand for their loved ones to be freed.

The family of 70-year-old Luis Har said they were experiencing a "nightmare" waiting for the grandfather to be returned home.

Neta Yessod Alon called for not only children and women to be released, but also the men, with her male friend Sasha Troufanov taken as hostage.

While Iritte Benson highlighted her concern for the alleged sexual abuse that has taken place.

More than 240 people - Israelis and foreign nationals - were abducted to Gaza on Oct 7. by Hamas militants, who burst through the border with Israel and killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. A UN commission of inquiry investigating war crimes on both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict will focus on sexual violence by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and is about to launch an appeal for evidence, its chair told Reuters on Wednesday.

Israel, vowing to wipe out Hamas, responded with a bombing campaign and ground offensive that has destroyed large areas of Gaza and killed more than 15,000 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave.