Pro-Israel marchers in Central Park gather with hope and unease as hostage release nears

Hope mixed with anxiety among pro-Israel demonstrators in Central Park on Sunday as they awaited the expected return of all living hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hundreds gathered that morning for their weekly walk around the park's reservoir, a ritual they hope to conclude with the planned release of the final 20 living hostages on Monday morning. Participants said turnout was larger than usual, coming just days after the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people and set off an ongoing Israeli offensive that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians.

Jamie Warfield, 30, who has attended four or five of the marches, said the tone had shifted. Past gatherings centered on the demand to "Bring them home now!" This time, she said, the chant was "They're coming home!" She added that everyone seemed to be on edge, and that some told each other they hoped not to see one another the following Sunday.

Debbie Ergas, 41, said the mood was markedly different, with marchers hoping the war would end and urging that the deal be sealed. She said most members of the local Jewish community want a two-state solution and a life in peace, and that people in New York "have to be able to coexist."

Dr. Rebecca Mannis, 61, of Manhattan carried an Israeli flag decorated with images of the hostages. She described the march as a chance to "pray with your feet" and to reflect on the role of Jewish New Yorkers and Zionists in the wider city.

A cousin of twin hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, who are expected to be freed, addressed the crowd. Marcher Orit Huberman, who helps make the group's banners and flags, said the cousin thanked participants for their work over the past two years. Huberman noted that 48 hostages remain in total: 20 are alive and expected home, but it is unclear whether all the bodies of the others will be recovered. "We are waiting for every single one to come," she said. Dana Ergas, 27, called the atmosphere "a little bit tense" and said she would not feel calm until all were home.

The planned release is part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas. Palestinians, meanwhile, were awaiting a long-promised increase in humanitarian aid to ease a famine caused by Israeli restrictions on aid and its ground offensive. Israeli spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said the freed hostages will likely be taken by vehicle to a military base to meet their families, or to a hospital if necessary. Israel then expects to release about 2,000 Palestinian detainees and receive the remains of 28 hostages believed to be dead.

Marcher Tal Siegel, 49, argued that the outcome could have come sooner, saying public discussion often focuses solely on Israel's actions while overlooking that Hamas also had agency. She said pressure on Hamas from well-intentioned supporters of Palestinians could have hastened a deal, and warned that fighting could resume if the agreement falters, with both sides looking for reasons.

Siegel said the group reads aloud the names of the hostages every week, including those who have died. This Sunday, she said, was different: "This is the first time we were all happy. We can breathe."