On July 4th, as America celebrated Independence Day, a sand sculpture depicting the American flag and the slogan “Freedom for All” was created on the beach outside the U.S. Embassy branch in Tel Aviv to commemorate the occasion.
The sand sculpture was created by relatives of Israelis who have been held hostage in Gaza since the attack by Palestinian militants on October 7, 2023. They called for U.S. intervention to release the hostages and achieve a ceasefire.
Prior to this, U.S. President Trump stated that he expected a response from Hamas within 24 hours regarding the “ultimate proposal” for a ceasefire that he had put forward.
Early on July 4th, health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza reported that Israeli forces conducted an airstrike on a tent camp in the western part of the city around 2 a.m., resulting in the death of 15 Palestinians displaced by the war in the past two years.
The Israeli military later announced that in the past 24 hours, their forces in the Khan Younis area had eliminated armed militants, seized weapons, dismantled Hamas outposts, and attacked 100 targets across Gaza, including military structures, weapon storage facilities, and launchers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not commented on Trump’s statement yet, highlighting significant differences between the two in public statements. Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed the need to disarm Hamas, but the armed group is believed to be holding 20 hostages and refusing to discuss the matter.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump in Washington next Monday.
President Trump recently told reporters that he would “firmly” support Netanyahu in swiftly achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, noting that the Israeli leader also seeks a ceasefire. “We are hopeful it can happen sometime next week. We hope the hostages can be rescued,” he added.
On Friday, July 4th, on the American Independence Day, relatives and friends of the Israelis held captive in Gaza since October 7, 2023, gathered at the beach outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, unfurling banners and petitioning President Trump, urging U.S. intervention to release the hostages and reach a ceasefire agreement.
Demonstrators, including the families and friends of the hostages in Gaza, gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, urging President Trump to secure an agreement for all hostages.
Banners were displayed, featuring a post by President Trump on his “Truth Social” platform, stating, “Reach an agreement in Gaza, bring the hostages back!!!”
Gideon Rosenberg, 48, from Tel Aviv, expressed, “It’s up to you! We want a perfect agreement, an agreement that can bring the hostages back.”
Rosenberg wore a shirt with the portrait of Avinatan Or, one of his employees who was kidnapped by Palestinian militants at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023.
The attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths, mostly civilians, and 251 hostages being abducted. Or is believed to be one of the 20 hostages still alive after more than 600 days in captivity.
Ruby Chen, 55, is the father of Itay, a 19-year-old American-Israeli who is believed to have been killed after being captured.
Ruby urged Netanyahu to return after meeting with Trump in Washington next Monday with an agreement to repatriate all hostages.
He also called on President Trump, “Let this American Independence Day be the beginning of lasting peace… This peace can uphold the sacred value of human life and dignify the victims by ensuring proper burial for the deceased hostages.”
(*This article references relevant reports from Reuters.)