Families of Israelis still held in Gaza blocked Tel Aviv’s Ayalon highway on 17 July, intensifying pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to reach a comprehensive prisoner-exchange agreement with Hamas. Demonstrators halted traffic on one of the city’s main arteries, demanding an immediate deal that would secure the release of all remaining captives and end the nine-month-old war. Relatives say about 50 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 assault are still in Gaza, with Israeli officials confirming that at least 20 are believed to be alive. Thursday’s protest marked the 650th day—roughly 21 months—since the abductions, underscoring what families describe as a rapidly closing window to rescue their loved ones. The hostage committee has called for dispatching a delegation to Doha to finalize terms and has urged Israelis nationwide to join further street protests if negotiations stall. Previous statements from the group over the past week warned that only a single, all-inclusive swap would be acceptable, arguing that partial deals risk leaving prisoners behind.