Local media reported that thousands of Israeli antigovernment protesters gathered in Tel Aviv and other parts of the country, demanding the release of captives held by Hamas in Gaza and calling for early elections. The protesters expressed anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for failing to secure the release of the captives after six months of fighting. Scenes of confrontations between security forces and protesters were reported in Tel Aviv, with demonstrations in 50 other locations nationwide. Ceasefire negotiations, including discussions on the release of captives, are set to take place in Cairo, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
The protests in Tel Aviv saw two rallies merging, with a large turnout likely putting pressure on Netanyahu. Organisers of the protests claim that 100,000 people participated in the demonstrations. The demonstrations have become a regular occurrence since the start of the war on October 7, when Israel declared war on Gaza after a deadly attack by Hamas. Since then, thousands of Palestinians have been killed or wounded in Israeli attacks on the strip. Israel announced on Saturday that its special forces had recovered the body of a captive killed in Gaza.
A new round of truce negotiations is expected in Cairo, with representatives from Hamas, the CIA, and the Egyptian government attending. The Israeli side has not confirmed its participation yet. The protests reflect growing discontent with Netanyahu’s government and the ongoing conflict with Hamas, with demonstrators demanding action to bring the captives home and criticizing the government’s handling of the situation.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
