A glass bottle was thrown toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's motorcade while driving past the Mahaneh Yehuda market in Jerusalem on Thursday night to celebrate his 77th birthday.

Light rail service had temporarily been suspended to allow the motorcade to pass through unimpeded, with thousands of Israelis gathering to cheer on and watch the convoy pass.

According to footage shared online of the incident, security personnel quickly jumped the barricade holding back the gathered crowd in attempt to locate the individual who threw the bottle. The motorcade continued undisturbed.

Upon arriving at Mahaneh Yehuda, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, were greeted with celebratory birthday music.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mahaneh Yehuda Market in Jerusalem, October 23, 2026.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mahaneh Yehuda Market in Jerusalem, October 23, 2026. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

Footage online appeared to show attendees waving Likud flags, as well as the Iranian Lion and Sun flag, and Netanayhu waving a bouquet of flowers before throwing it back out to the gathered crowd.

Netanyahu visits Tel Aviv's HaTikva Market

Netanyahu's visit to Mahaneh Yehuda followed an earlier Thursday trip by the prime minister to Tel Aviv's HaTikva Market.

There, he was confronted by an angry spectator who asked "why did you send Hamas millions?" according to footage online. When the individual attempted to film the incident, Likud supporters in attendence reportedly knocked his phone from his hands and physically shoving him from the space.

Israeli media reported that Michel Iluz, father of deceased hostage Guy Iluz, Gil Dickmann, cousin of deceased hostage Carmel Gat, and Einav Zangauker, the mother of former hostage Matan Zangauker, were also in attendence.

The three were there to affirm to Netanyahu that those in power on October 7 must step down from government. While there, individuals at the market attacked Iluz. Netanyahu was not in the area at the time.

"We came to tell Netanyahu the truth, that he is one of those responsible for the massacre.  That no person who was in a position of authority on October 7 can continue, certainly not the prime minister," wrote Zangauker on X/Twitter. "They called us traitors, enemies of the state, spat on us, threw vegetables at us. We were removed by the police, who were sent to prevent bereaved parents and families of hostages from voicing what’s on their hearts.

"While I came to protest against the Prime Minister for abandoning my Guy'tchuk, my firstborn son, to die in captivity, shameless citizens lacking moral conscience resorted to violence against me," Iluz said in response to the incident. "This is a disgrace that a bereaved father, whose son was murdered in captivity, receives blows from citizens."

"I call on all Israeli citizens to remember Guy'tchuk at the ballot box. The time has come for correction."

Former hostage Rom Braslavski shared the incident on X, "I'm boiling with rage… and it hurts me too."

The Democrats MK Gilad Kariv condemned the incident as well, "Cursed be the hands that were raised violently against Michel, father of Guy z"l. And cursed be the hands that abandoned Guy. The hands that were supposed to hold the steering wheel of leadership, but instead clutched rose-colored glasses and bribe money."