Tel Aviv Retires Hostage Clock as Gaza Ceasefire Enters Uncertain New Phase

By Blessing Nweke

The stopwatch that had loomed over Hostages Square in central Tel Aviv, marking every second since Hamas kidnapped 251 Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, was shut off Tuesday night during a solemn ceremony attended by hundreds of people. After 843 days and 12 hours, the frozen clock became a symbol not of waiting, but of an ending — and of an uncertain beginning.

Families of former captives, activists and supporters gathered beneath the darkened timer to mark the first time since 2014 that no Israeli hostages remain in the Gaza Strip. The clock was retired a day after Israeli forces recovered the body of Ran Gvili, a police officer killed on Oct. 7 whose remains were the last still held in Gaza.

“We prayed for this day for 844 days,” said Malki Shem-Tov, whose son Omer was previously held captive. “Since our worlds stopped on Oct. 7, we never imagined the clock would reach three digits. Thank God we can finally stop counting.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment a national turning point. “An entire nation is breathing an enormous sigh of relief tonight,” he said, adding that true healing could now begin.

Yet questions linger over the future of Hostages Square itself, which sits beneath Israel’s defense headquarters and became a focal point for weekly protests demanding the hostages’ return, even at the cost of concessions to Hamas. Activists say discussions are underway about renaming it “Returnees’ Square,” though no decision has been made.

Gvili’s return formally moves the fragile Gaza ceasefire into its second phase, focused on postwar governance and reconstruction. The terms remain under negotiation, and Hamas has not agreed to disarm. Meanwhile, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire, with hundreds reportedly killed since the ceasefire began and much of the population living in tents or damaged buildings.

“The war, I don’t think it’s ever really over,” said Hadar Minard, a 21-year-old volunteer at the ceremony. “But at least we know that this chapter has ended.”