Protesters formed a human chain outside the Israeli parliament, also known as the Knesset, on Tuesday to demand the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza, as new signs emerge that Israel and Hamas could be moving closer to a ceasefire deal.

Many of those gathered held large banners with the names and faces of the captives alongside the words “DON’T leave me behind!” And “everyone is a humanitarian case! No one should be left behind!”

The protest comes the same day that negotiators are due to meet in the Qatari capital Doha in the hopes of finalizing a ceasefire deal that would see the release of some of the hostages.

Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages during the first phase of the emerging deal. Negotiations to reach the second phase – which is intended to end the war – would begin on the 16th day of the implementation of the deal.

One demonstrator, Shay Dickmann, said a family member held in Gaza had been released in a previous ceasefire and hostage deal in November 2023, while another – her cousin – had been killed while in Hamas captivity in the enclave.

“From my family, I know how it is when someone comes back alive on a deal,” she said.

“We are not going to let go for any one of them. We want them all back home. And it sounds like there is a chance right now, but we can’t let it go until we see them stepping here in Israel,” she added.

Asked if she had a message for the negotiators working on an agreement, Dickmann implored them to keep working until all the hostages were released.

“We trust you to make it happen this time. We need your help. And right now it sounds like you’re the key,” she said.