Several thousand people demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Monday evening in favour of a negotiated solution for the release of Israeli hostages held by the militant Islamist group Hamas.
"Rafah can wait - they can't," was written on a banner at the rally, according to Israeli media reports.
Relatives of hostages also spoke at the demonstration and appealed to the Israeli government to achieve a ceasefire and return the hostages.
"We're parents who want their children to be back home. ... if you don't bring them back, the hostages' blood is on your hands, they said, laying the blame squarely on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Enough with the bloodshed," the daughter-in-law of a man abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz demanded, according to media reports. "Reach a deal and bring them home now."
A three-member Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Monday to hold negotiations on the release of Israeli hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli news website ynet reported that the proposal envisages the release of 33 hostages in return for several hundred Palestinian prisoners. These are to consist of women, including female soldiers, elderly people, the injured and the "mentally impaired."
Citing a senior Israeli government representative, ynet reported that the duration of a simultaneous ceasefire would depend on the number of hostages released. Hamas is demanding the release of 50 prisoners for every soldier and 30 prisoners for every civilian, according to the news outlet.
The last ceasefire was in November, when more than 100 hostages were freed.