In Central Park, pro-Israel demonstrators wait with hope, held breath for release of Hamas hostages

Excitement and some anxiety filled the hearts of a group of loyal pro-Israel protesters in Central Park on Sunday, as they awaited what was expected to be the imminent return of all living Hamas hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

Hundreds of protesters gathered Sunday morning for their weekly march around the Central Park Reservoir, a tradition they hope can end with the expected return of the final 20 hostages Monday morning.

“It’s been two years since then, every Sunday,” said Jamie Warfield, 30, who has participated in about four or five weekly marches. “I hope it’s the last one…I feel like every time it was, ‘Bring them home now!’ Although it’s the first time, we said, “They’re coming home!” So it was really beautiful.

She added: “You could tell everyone was on eggshells. ‘Some said I hope I don’t see you next Sunday.'”

The march drew more participants than usual on Sunday, participants said, because it took place just days after the second anniversary of Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, which killed some 1,200 people and sparked a continuing offensive by Israeli forces that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians.

“The energy was so different because we were like, ‘Bring them home, we hope the war ends, seal the deal,'” Debbie Ergas, 41, said. “The Jewish community here, most of us want a two-state solution. We want to live in peace.”

She added: “Here in New York, we need to be able to coexist. »

Carrying an Israeli flag adorned with photos of the hostages, Dr. Rebecca Mannis, 61, of Manhattan, called the march an opportunity to “pray with your feet.”

“Most Sundays, I have also come here to support Israel, to pray and to be among those advocating for the release of the hostages and also to reflect on our role as Jewish and Zionist New Yorkers in the greater New York community,” Mannis said.

The crowd also heard testimony from a cousin of two hostages, twins Gali and Ziv Berman, who are expected to be released.

“She was just very grateful for what we’ve done here the last two years,” said marcher Orit Huberman, describing the cousin’s remarks.

Huberman helps make the banners and flags for the weekly march.

“In the last two years, we had relatives of hostages… we had brothers, people who came to defend the interests of the families,” she said. “There are 48 hostages. Twenty are alive, they’re coming, but the rest, we’re not sure they’re going to find all the bodies, so we’re waiting for everyone to come.”

Dana Ergas, 27, described the atmosphere at Sunday’s march as “a little tense.”

“Until I see them all back home, I won’t feel calm,” she said.

The planned release of the hostages comes as part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, as Palestinians await a long-promised increase in humanitarian aid deliveries to ease the famine caused by Israeli aid restrictions and its ground offensive.

Israeli spokesman Shosh Bedrosian said the hostages would likely be taken to a military base to reunite with their families or to a hospital if necessary. After that, Israel hopes to release around 2,000 Palestinian detainees and receive 28 hostages who are believed to have died.

“This could have happened a long time ago, but the public is so used to only talking about what Israel does and forgetting that Hamas also had some capacity to act,” said protester Tal Siegel, 49. “They could have released them a long time ago… If that doesn’t happen, the fighting may resume. And both sides are looking for reasons.”

She added: “A lot of well-meaning people wanting to help the Palestinians didn’t realize that if they also put pressure on Hamas, it could have happened a long time ago. »

Siegel says every week they read the names of the hostages, including those who died.

“Today was different because we were all happy. It’s the first time we were all happy,” he said. “We can breathe.”

With wire services

Originally published: October 12, 2025 at 5:16 p.m. EDT