On a recent Sunday, approximately 500 women gathered to form a new coalition named Mothers on the Front, aimed at advocating for the cessation of hostilities in Gaza and the rescue of 50 hostages believed to be held by militant groups in the region. Among these hostages, it is estimated that 20 are currently alive.
This coalition draws inspiration from the Four Mothers movement established in 1997, which played a pivotal role in advocating for the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from southern Lebanon, leading to an official exit in May 2000.
The launch event featured a march near the Gaza border, concluding at a memorial for female soldiers who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants overwhelmed the base. This culmination of violence led to the deaths of around 1,200 individuals, predominantly civilians, while 251 others were abducted and taken to Gaza.
In their commitment to the cause, the coalition plans to maintain a presence near Kibbutz Sa’ad in southern Israel for at least five days as part of their protest.
Last week, Israel’s security cabinet greenlighted a proposal from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take control of the densely populated Gaza City, despite warnings from the IDF that such actions could jeopardize the safety of remaining hostages and Israeli soldiers, as well as exacerbate the humanitarian crisis for Gazan civilians.
Alice Miller, who successfully sued the Israeli military in the 1990s for women’s rights to enlist as pilots, holds a placard reading ‘Enough!’ during the march on August 10, 2025. (Naama Zeevi Rivlin)
Orna Shimoni, an original member of the Four Mothers, urged IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to present alternatives to military occupation to the Prime Minister. She referred to Israel’s previously proposed hostage exchange deal, suggesting it could serve as a pathway toward ending the conflict. “We are one step away from a clearly illegal order that must not be carried out,” she asserted.
Moran Zer Katzenstein, founder of the women’s rights group Bonot Alternativa, emphasized that mothers would no longer tolerate a silence that allows the state to neglect its duty to protect its citizens. “We won’t give you our children when you treat them with scorn,” she declared passionately.
Omer Steinitz Haskel, also affiliated with Bonot Alternativa, conveyed that the memorial serves not only as a reminder of past bloodshed but also as a demarcation point between responsibility and recklessness. “This is where a line was broken,” he stated, “between Israel and Gaza, between human life and moral loss.”
Participants of the mothers’ movement advocate for peace and the return of hostages, standing behind a prominent banner stating, ‘Wars end when mothers rise up,’ at Nahal Oz, August 10, 2025. (Naama Zeevi Rivlin)
She further expressed, “On October 7, Israel entered the most just war there was. Our army fought bravely and achieved significant military success. However, nearly two years later, these victories have failed to translate into diplomatic advancements.”
She criticized the government for continuing a “political war” rather than leveraging military power to foster peace and secure the return of the kidnapped citizens. “They choose the ideology of eternal war and the death of soldiers over human lives,” she concluded. “We will remain present until our leaders prioritize life over death. We will not forget that security cannot exist without freedom. This struggle will persist until every kidnapped individual is safely returned home.”
Sigal Price, mother of Staff Sgt. Noa Price, who was killed in the October 7 attacks, addresses the gathering at the protest: “I would like to express the pain of all the bereaved families and call for the return of the kidnapped.” (Naama Zeevi Rivlin)
Sigal Price, whose daughter was among the victims of the October 7 attacks, expressed her grief during the event: “Here at the memorial we erected in their memory, I aim to convey the distress felt by all bereaved families. We must advocate for the return of the kidnapped and reach a resolution to the war while remembering those who have bravely served.”
