Families of Israelis held captive in the Gaza Strip blocked Tel Aviv's major Begin Road on Monday night to demand a swap agreement with Hamas. “This is your hour. Be brave, Be a leader. The government and war cabinet should accept the deal. We need our hostages home. Every last one,” Einav Zangauker, one of the protesters, told Israel's Channel 12.

Outlets in Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Palestine suggested that Hamas was close to agreeing on a multi-stage hostage swap deal that would coincide with temporary pauses in fighting, culminating in an enduring ceasefire with US-backed assurances that Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza.

Protesters are demanding the government reach a deal to bring the hostages back from Gaza, for new elections and the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The demonstration took place as a delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo for cease-fire talks with Israel.

Amid the impending hostage deal, thousands of protesters rallied across Israel against the government on Saturday night, following the release of videos by Hamas showing signs of life from several Israeli hostages held captive by them,