In Tel Aviv, a wave of demonstrations shook the Israeli capital demanding early elections and the release of hostages still held by the Palestinian extremist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. These protests have also spread to other cities such as Jerusalem and Haifa.
Clashes broke out between protesters and police in Tel Aviv, leading to the arrest of sixteen people. In Jerusalem, hundreds of protesters broke through a barrier near Netanyahu’s official residence.
Opponents of the government plan to organize large demonstrations in Jerusalem on Sunday, demanding the resignation of the government.
In Tel Aviv, a former hostage, whose husband is still held in Gaza, spoke at the protest, urging Netanyahu to “bring them home!” It calls on the prime minister to give the Israeli negotiating team a “broad mandate” to reach an agreement to release the remaining hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The ongoing war in Gaza was sparked by the unprecedented massacre carried out by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in southern Israel on October 7. More than 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and around 250 others were taken hostage.
Israel responded by targeting the densely populated Gaza Strip with massive airstrikes and launching a ground operation in late October. More than 32,500 Palestinians have reportedly been killed so far, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels due to very limited amounts of aid reaching the civilian population.
As efforts to facilitate a new ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages have repeatedly failed, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and France have again called for a ceasefire immediately to ensure an influx of aid into the Gaza Strip.
Ministers discussed the importance of an immediate ceasefire agreement, the delivery of aid and the release of hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israel during talks in Cairo.
As the situation in Gaza remains tense, calls are growing for a peaceful resolution to end the suffering of civilians trapped in the conflict.
For further details, you can check out the additional articles on related topics:
– Thousands of Israeli Protesters Call on Netanyahu to Resign Over Gaza War – Pulse.ng