Protesters poured into the streets across Israel on Sunday morning with the start of a nationwide general strike called by bereaved families and the relatives of hostages, and gathered at dozens of sites to call for a halt to the war in Gaza and the return of all those held captive by terror groups in the Strip.

As of early afternoon, police said they had arrested more than 30 protesters across the country as activists blocked streets and in some cases clashed with officers who were trying to reopen them.

Outside Jerusalem, police deployed a water cannon to disperse protesters who sat on the ground inside a tunnel along Route 16, which leads to the capital. In Tel Aviv, 11 demonstrators were arrested after they “violated public order and significantly impaired freedom of movement” on the roads, law enforcement officials said.

Throughout Sunday morning demonstrators shut down portions of Route 1, the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway, as well as Begin Boulevard in Jerusalem, the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, Route 4 at Ra’anana Junction, routes 65, 75 and 89 in northern Israel, and Routes 443, 40 and 44 in central Israel.

Demonstrators also rallied outside the homes of a number of government ministers, including Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer’s home in Jerusalem, Justice Minister Yariv Levin in Modiin, Economy Minister Nir Barkat in the capital, Education Minister Yoav Kisch in Hod Hasharon and Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel in Kfar Saba.

The protest was called by the October Council, a group of family members of hostages and those killed on October 7 as well as survivors of the attack, who are demanding the end of the war in Gaza and the return of the 50 hostages being held there. They initiated the protest after the cabinet voted earlier this month to conquer Gaza City despite warnings by the IDF that it would endanger the hostages.

Hundreds of local authorities, businesses, universities, tech companies and other organizations announced that they were joining the strike or will allow employees to join if they wished to.

The Histadrut, the central labor union, said it would not be joining the strike, but its chief, Arnon Bar-David, visited Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Sunday with a message of solidarity.

“This is not an issue of left and right,” he said. “This is an issue of bringing people back, bringing back people who were kidnapped, kidnapped from their bed, kidnapped from their shift and from their tank.”

The central activities of the day were held in Hostages Square, where hundreds streamed in and out of the plaza, including the families of living and slain hostages and a number of Israeli officials.

Speaking in the square, President Isaac Herzog said everyone in the country was united in wanting every hostage home as soon as possible.

“There’s no Israeli who doesn’t want them back home,” he said. “We can argue about philosophies, but truly, the people of Israel want our brothers and sisters back home.”

In a message to the 50 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are thought to be alive, he said: “We haven’t forgotten you for a moment. We’re making every effort to bring you back home.”

Switching to English, Herzog urged the international community to step up pressure on Hamas.

“I’m here to say to the international media and to the international decision makers: Our sons and daughters are there in the dungeons of Gaza for 681 days,” Herzog said alongside Sharon Sharabi, the brother of released hostage Eli Sharabi, and Yael Adar, the mother of Tamir Adar, who was killed by Hamas on October 7 and whose body is held in Gaza.

“We want them back home as soon as possible. The world should want them back home as soon as possible. Stop being a bunch of hypocrites. Press – because when you know how to press, you press — press and tell Hamas, ‘No deal, no nothing, until you release them,’” Herzog added.

“I want to say to our brothers and sisters all over the world, we are together in this plight. We want the hostages back home. They are the most important issue on world affairs, and we want to see them back home as soon as possible,” the president said.

Also addressing the crowd at Hostages Square, released hostage Arbel Yehoud — whose boyfriend, Ariel Cunio, is still held captive — warned that military pressure will not free those still in Gaza.

“I know firsthand what it’s like to be in captivity. I know that military pressure doesn’t bring hostages back — it only kills them,” she said. “The only way to bring them back is through a deal, all at once, without games.”

Yehoud spoke alongside freed hostage Sharon Aloni-Cunio — who was released in November 2023 with her two daughters and whose husband, David Cunio, Ariel’s brother — is still captive, as well as Yarden Bibas — David’s best friend — who was freed in February and whose wife, Shiri, and two young sons Ariel and Kfir, were murdered in captivity.

Yehoud, who was freed in January as part of a ceasefire deal, described the suffocating conditions underground, “without water, without air, without the ability to breathe,” and said that Sunday’s strike cannot remain a one-time event.

“We need to stop normal life again and again until those in captivity return. You’ve seen the photos, the videos, the horrors. How much longer will you continue to close your eyes? There is only one way to bring them all back: a deal now.”

Also speaking in the square, Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, demanded the return of every hostage immediately.

“The hostages are all of our children!” she declared. “We must save them now!”

Ayelet Goldin, the sister of Hadar Goldin — an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014 whose body has been held by Hamas for 11 years — spoke with emotion: “I came here from the Golan and every intersection was filled with people.”

Calling on Israelis to take to the streets, Goldin added, “The hostages are the heart of Israeli society. We must bring them back in order to return to ourselves and our values.”

Lishay Miran Lavi, whose husband Omri was taken hostage on October 7 and is held in Gaza, said, “Today is just the beginning.”

“We intend to escalate the struggle. We have no other choice,” she said.

At the center of the square, rows of empty strollers were arranged, a haunting exhibition symbolizing the children killed in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack. Attached to many of them were bright yellow signs reading “A mother never gives up.”

Under a large shaded canopy, dozens of mothers sat with their babies and young children, gathering in quiet solidarity. Strollers lined the space alongside other exhibitions filled with photos of the hostages.

“I want them to come back and the war to end, and we won’t stop until they do,” said Dana, who came with her baby and a group of other mothers to join in the mothers’ protest.

Nili Bresler, from Ramat Gan, said she came to Hostages Square in support of her student, Avinatan Or, who was kidnapped from the Nova festival — alongside his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, who was rescued last year — and who remains a hostage in Gaza.

“He’s a beautiful young man, and we hope that he’s hanging in there. We got one sign of life from him on March 12, which was a long time ago, but it’s more than nothing,” she said, sitting alone with a sign bearing his photo.

Bresler, who teaches technical English to tech employees, was teaching Or, a chip designer at Nvidia: “He’s very talented and bright, with a huge heart,” she said, adding that the large turnout made her feel “more optimistic than I’ve been.”

Ruti Rosenberg, who grew up in Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha near the Gaza border and now lives in Kfar Saba, said she thinks about the hostages “all the time” and attends rallies every Saturday night demanding their release.

“We will keep coming until this government succeeds in bringing them back,” she said. “That is what’s important.”