Tens of thousands of people join the Israeli day parade

June 3, 2024

On Sunday, according to CBS News around 60,000 people from over 200 schools participated in the 59th annual on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The parade was reported to have had significant security and road closures due to concerns over attempts to cause disruption by protestors. The parade was said to have focused on the Israeli civilian hostages taken and held in Gaza since the by Hamas, recognized by the United States and the European Union as a terrorist organization.

It was reported to have been a very somber parade. According to the CEO of the, , it was "not a mood of confetti and music". He added "This is more of a mood of unwavering, ironclad solidarity with hostages to bring them home, and also our unwavering love and pride in our Jewish identity".

The parade was reported to have included around 70 families of the hostages and 2,500 people from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group advocating for the return of the hostages.

The exact number of marchers is disputed. CBS News claimed that there were 60,000. The claimed that there were 45,000.