Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the hostages square in Tel Aviv as families and supporters demanding the release of the hostages held by militants in Gaza escalated their campaign on Sunday with a strike that brought traffic to a halt on major roads and intersections across Israel.

“I’m here to say to the international media and to the international decision makers: Our sons and daughters are there in the dungeons of Gaza for 681, days. We want them back home as soon as possible. The world should want them back home as soon as possible. Stop being a bunch of hypocrites," Herzog said.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organized the “day of stoppage,” leads weekly protests demanding a hostage deal but Sunday's action marked a fresh push, weeks after militant groups released videos of hostages and Israel signaled plans for a new Gaza offensive.

In March, Israel ended a previous ceasefire that had facilitated the release of 25 hostages and the remains of eight others.

Since then, it has imposed a 2 1/2 month blockade that pushed the territory toward famine, launched daily airstrikes across Gaza, expanded its buffer zone and ordered mass evacuations.

Fifty hostages remain held in Gaza — around 20 of whom are believed by Israel to be alive.