Almost 3 years after Oct. 7, 'Hostages Square' becomes official name of Tel Aviv Museum plaza

Jerusalem Post/Israel NewsTel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai said, "The square became a center of solidarity, mutual responsibility, and an uncompromising demand: Bring them, all of them, home."Follow us on GoogleThe new sign, officially renaming the plaza to Hostages Square.(photo credit: TEL AVIV-JAFFA MUNICIPALITY)ByESTHER DAVISAUGUST 14, 2026 06:40Nearly three years after October 7, the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality has officially renamed Tel Aviv Museum plaza to "Hostages Square," at the unveiling of the new signs on Tuesday.Over the last three years the plaza has served as a central hub for the campaign to bring the hostages home, becoming a gathering place for families of the hostages and their supporters. It was used to raise awareness for the hostages and as a key site for protesters rallying for a deal to bring them home.The new signage officially recognized a name that the public had adopted since October 7, honoring and remembering the former Gaza hostages.Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor met with Hostage families after unveilingFollowing the unveiling, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai met with representatives of the hostage families, telling them that the decision to rename the plaza was "intended to ensure that this chapter in the history of the State of Israel, from October 7, 2023, until the return of the final hostage, Ran Gvili, on January 26, 2026, will be remembered for generations.""A courageous and determined struggle took place here, led by heroic families who did everything to bring their loved ones home," Huldai said, adding that it was a privilege for Tel Aviv-Jaffa to be the home for these families.Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Hundai unveils the new sign at the Tel Aviv Museum plaza, renaming it to 'Hostages Square.' (credit: TEL AVIV-JAFFA MUNICIPALITY)"The square became a center of solidarity, mutual responsibility, and an uncompromising demand: Bring them, all of them, home."Renaming the plaza to Hostages Square ensures that the hostages, their families, and "the commitment to never give up on anyone," will be preserved.Since October 7 the plaza has hosted mass rallies, Kabbalat Shabbat ceremonies, installations, community activities, and more. When the final hostage deal was signed in October 2025, the square was a place where the public gathered to mark their return home."Now, with the decision to grant the square official status, the Tel Aviv Yafo Municipality seeks to preserve the significance of the site for future generations. Naming the plaza 'Hostages Square' expresses the commitment to commemorate the place where pain and hope came together and to ensure that the memory of the struggle to bring the hostages home remains an inseparable part of the story of Tel Aviv Yafo and the State of Israel," Huldai added."We will not allow this story to be forgotten, not one letter, not one act, not one breath."Follow us on Google