Tel Aviv

A crowd gathers in what's become known as Hostages Square in central Tel Aviv, Feb. 11, 2024.

Most families of Israeli hostages want their loved ones returned home but some say it’s more important to defeat Hamas first

A slight rift has emerged within the group of families that have loved ones whom Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7. Many of them want the Israeli government to move swiftly to bring the hostages home. But some are saying that Hamas should be defeated first, even if it takes longer to release the captives.

Most families of Israeli hostages want their loved ones returned home but some say it’s more important to defeat Hamas first
A sticker reads “Impeachment Now!” with a photo of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu with a bloody hand on his face

Israelis answer 'battle cry' to return to anti-government protests

Israelis answer 'battle cry' to return to anti-government protests
Activists from the Standing Together Movement play drums at a demonstration.

Standing Together leaders discuss attempts to open Jewish-Arab dialogue amid Gaza war

Standing Together leaders discuss attempts to open Jewish-Arab dialogue amid Gaza war
An empty shabbat table is set in front of the Tel Aviv Museum to symbolize over 200 missing Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

How the hostage crisis is changing Israel

How the hostage crisis is changing Israel
protest

Israel’s ‘judicial coup’ protests are going strong. They still might fail.

Israel’s ‘judicial coup’ protests are going strong. They still might fail.
Palestinians inspect their house which was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Aug. 8, 2022. 

As Israel-Palestinian truce holds, Gaza power plant restarts

Over three days of fighting, 44 Palestinians were killed, including 15 children and four women, and 311 were wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

As Israel-Palestinian truce holds, Gaza power plant restarts
A white ambulance is shown from the front with several people wearing military fatigues and carrying weapons standing nearby.

Gang riot in Ecuador prison leaves more than 100 dead, dozens injured

Top of The World: Ecuador's president, Guillermo Lasso, declared a state of emergency for the country’s prison system. And, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid traveled to Bahrain on Thursday to meet with his counterpart and inaugurate Israel's embassy in the capital Manama. Also, former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been convicted for illegal campaign financing.

Gang riot in Ecuador prison leaves more than 100 dead, dozens injured
A supporter of US President Donald Trump waves Israeli and US national flags on the day of the U.S. presidential election, in Carmiel, northern Israel, Nov. 3, 2020.

Amid US-UAE arms deal and US election, Israelis wonder how balance of power in region might change

The news of a proposed $10.4 billion deal for the US to sell up to 50 F-35 fighter jets to the UAE has raised questions among Israeli defense officials, who warn that it could have negative effects for Israel.

Amid US-UAE arms deal and US election, Israelis wonder how balance of power in region might change
Two men wearing tank tops and face masks protest and wave blue and white Israeli flags in a big crowd

Israelis protest against new COVID-19 measures that restrict protests

Under new measures against the coronavirus, the Israeli government has banned protesters from holding demonstrations more than 1 kilometer (about a half-mile) from their homes. In response, some activists have turned to WhatsApp, Facebook and an interactive map to find protest sites near them. 

Israelis protest against new COVID-19 measures that restrict protests
People wear face masks as they shop in a main market in Jerusalem, Israel, July 16, 2020.

Israel considers a second lockdown as coronavirus cases surge

Israeli officials took quick action against the coronavirus this spring and reduced the rate of infections to one of the lowest in the world. The situation is quite different today. Experts say Israel went from being a model for other nations to a cautionary tale on what happens when a nation opens too much and too quickly.

Israel considers a second lockdown as coronavirus cases surge
Commodities containers are seen at Shahid Rajaee harbor

Iran-Israel cyberattacks threaten unofficial rules of engagement

A recent exchange of alleged cyberattacks on critical infrastructure between the two regional rivals is rattling the Middle East and threatens to change the unofficial but implicit agreement on the rules of engagement.

Iran-Israel cyberattacks threaten unofficial rules of engagement
Rachel Gutman says she votes partly because she wants to have a voice on American foreign policy in Israel. 

Israel's Democrats Abroad cast their votes in the US primary election

Some Americans showed up to a local sports bar in Israel on Super Tuesday to cast their votes for the next American president.

Israel's Democrats Abroad cast their votes in the US primary election
Shamshiri, a Persian restaurant in South Tel Aviv, Israel. 

After Soleimani's death, Persian Israelis are caught between two homelands

After the United States killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded the move. Israel’s security forces went on alert. Meanwhile, Iranian Jews in Israel say they hope for a day when they can go back to visit Iran.

After Soleimani's death, Persian Israelis are caught between two homelands
Pnina Tomano-Shata spoke at a town hall meeting for Ethiopian Israeli voters in the town of Or Yehuda ahead of Israel's national election on September 17, 2019.

'They need to stop killing our kids': Ethiopian Israeli lawmakers tackle police brutality

Over the summer, Ethiopian Israelis held protests in several cities after a police officer shot and killed an Ethiopian teenager. Protesters said they were upset about police brutality, discrimination and racism. Those issues were still on the minds of two Ethiopian candidates for the Knesset in the run-up to last month's election in Israel.

'They need to stop killing our kids': Ethiopian Israeli lawmakers tackle police brutality
A black and white photo showing a man in a pilot's uniform with a mustache looking at a camera among a crowd of people.

Capt. Michel Bacos, Entebbe hijacking hero, dies at 95

Michel Bacos chose to stay with his Jewish passengers who were being held hostage in Entebbe, Uganda, in 1976. He "took over immediately as a real captain and as a real commander, remembers one of the youngest passengers on the flight.

Capt. Michel Bacos, Entebbe hijacking hero, dies at 95